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In Jay Mathews’ Dec. 26 column on education, “Optimistic teachers found produce more degree holders,” it reported that the flawed study found that enrolling students in college, Students, their families, and other supporters could not be credited for the hard work required to get them into college. They also did not consider the significant barriers to college admissions and graduation faced by low-income first-generation students attending college.
Teacher optimism, while important, is not enough to help students successfully navigate the complex college admissions and financial aid gauntlets. I need time to concentrate. Wealthy parents know this and often hire independent college counselors. Private schools and charter schools invest resources in college counseling because their track record of getting students into college affects their acceptance rates. However, in many public high schools, overworked guidance counselors have hundreds of students and are unable to provide focused, individualized college advice. In some school districts, the College Access/Success nonprofit can serve some students, but lack the resources to help all students who need it.
Much research and the experiences of hardworking students show that many other resources are needed to successfully graduate from college, and that paying for a college education is one of the biggest obstacles. increase. To ensure that every student can attend and graduate from college, we must invest resources in the support that future generations need to succeed. We also need to find ways to greatly simplify the process of college admissions and financial aid, and significantly reduce the burdensome costs of higher education.
The author is co-founder and former executive director of CollegeTracks, a college access and success non-profit organization serving low-income Montgomery County students.
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