Until students are provided with the necessary skills to succeed academically, lending them financial aid may be futile.Â
New findings supporting this notion are cited in the article, Keeping Needy Students in College Hinges More on Academic Success Than Financial Aid, Study Finds. These conclusions from Serge Herzog, institutional analysis director at the University of Nevada at Reno, suggest that when given financial aid, higher-income students are more likely to prevail in college than lower-income ones.
Herzog is right in his assertion that this cycle will continue unless more of an emphasis is placed on academic success. Giving ill-prepared students money has little effect if they are not given a foundation along with it. The two are interdependent. As long as lower-income students receive lower-level education, this cycle will persist.
My books and coaching reflect my strong beliefs on the need for academic preparation. Students must be taught how to succeed academically and then be given monetary aid as support. Instead, they are being given the money and then struggling to adjust to the demands of college. It simply makes sense to reverse this insufficient strategy and give all students a fair chance to succeed.
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Some things to think about:
How can we work to assure that low-income students are receiving equal education and preparation for college?
What other implications arise from an imbalanced education system?
How can you make your (or your child’s) financial aid more worthwhile?
What responsibility do our educational institutions have to prepare at-risk students who are first generation to college with academic, emotional and social support to succeed in the more sophisticated environment of college?
How can we help freshmen in high school to think ahead, embrace learning, develop an appreciation for challenge so that they will be college and career ready?
How can we help high school students with the relevance they need to value college and world-class skills needed our of school?
