Education Barriers

Low income youth face increasing barriers to higher education.

Even though the US has the world's largest and broadest post-secondary school system, significant barriers to higher education pervade our society. These barriers vary by income and family background. Middle class students are 50% less likely to complete college as wealthier students. Lower income youth face much greater difficulties enrolling, affording and graduating from college. Increased income inequality, stagnant incomes, and rising tuition have increased the cost burden of college on middle and low-income families.

A recent White House task force found that:

• Family income is a major influence on college enrollment and graduation. While 78% of high school graduates from high-income families enrolled in college, middle and low-income families were 63% and 55%
• About 30% of high-ability eighth-graders from low-income families later completed college, which is about the same as the share of low-scoring children from high-income families
• Information barriers also exist. Less affluent students often lack the networks to provide them with information about good, affordable schools along with the financial aid for which they are eligible. Low and middle-income students routinely eliminate colleges from consideration based on cost, before applying or even researching possible aid packages
• Even after typical aid packages, lower and middle-income families pay a significant portion of their income for college, including room and board. As a result, about 60% of college students borrow for college, and the real median debt level has increased over the past four years by 11%.

Since the US population is rapidly becoming more diverse, the ethnic and racial components of college enrollment and graduation cannot be ignored. Many of our students at the Institute for Sustainable Communication are first generation Americans, and most are the first people in their families to attend college. It is critical to give these low income youth as the opportunity to prepare for college, enroll and gradute. Expanding grants and loan programs is one way to maintain the vibrancy and inclusiveness of American education. Offering opportunities for these students to get internships, mentoring and real world experience is another.

Benefits Demonstrated by e360t shirts!

• e360t shirts fund micro scholarships for college tuition for talented low income students
• The students we support have talent, ambition and commitment, but no money to pay for college.