Student Pressure During the University Application and Studies

Every student takes the SAT or scholastic aptitude test during eleventh grade in high school which plays a major part in which college acceptance. A survey conducted by National Center for Education Statistics in 2017 found that the average score of a black high school senior is 940 compared to the average of white high school seniors at 1118 (National Center Education Statistics).

Having a higher SAT score adds to a student potential and college admissions which is illustrated in the number of students in 2013 who enrolled in college around the ages of eighteen to twenty-four. 34% of black and Hispanic students enrolled in college compared to 42% of white students (Jon Marcus). According to the U.S Department of Education “72% of black students go into debt to pay for their educations, compared to 56%of white students” (Jon Marcus). Students around the world are realizing that colleges are catering to specific race, which is making it difficult for minority students to get a good education.

Legacy admissions are also a big factor when applying to colleges. Colleges give advantages to students who had former relatives graduated usually applying to ivy league school. Harvard graduating class of 2022 contains 36% of legacy students and 29% of student were legacy the year before (Martin and Blumberg). For example, the children of alumni have 45% greater chance of admission when compared to the other applicants. (Martin and Blumberg). Consequently, many scandals have occurred so students’ parents bribing colleges to accept their children. Legacy admissions give a clear advantage to high income families leaving lower income families in the dust who need the education and connections.

Only 16% of students in Ivy leagues receive financial aid provided by programs like Pell Grant which specially designed for lower income families (Deirdre Fernandes). Richard V. Reeves notes “That’s hearting, given that America’s current outdated system of giving preference to realities of former students is essentially cheating” (Martin and Blumberg). Legacy admissions give a clear advantage to high income families by rejecting qualified students because of economic position.

Another component that students need to think of when applying to college that provides a disadvantage to the lower-income families is rising college tuition. Public colleges average tuition was raised two-hundred sixty-eight percent since 1970’s (Young people in debt). In order for students to comply with extremely expensive tuition prices students have begun talking out loans and the education debt in the U.S alone has tripled reaching one trillion dollars (Kitroeff Natalie). College students who have graduated are in crimping debt are trying to find jobs in the tightened market and are unable to pay debt with their low wages (Young People in Debt).

College students also need to consider textbooks and living cost and adding high tuition cost are stifling the younger generations capabilities. For example, Tierney Crooke explains she had to decide between paying her rent or college loans and when the loans weren’t paid Crookes fathers credit scores were dashed. (Kitoeff Natalie). The top ten percent are getting an enriched education for free while middle and lower-income families are drowning in debt.