Shownotes
Hopewell Valley Student Podcasting Network
Show Name: Do You CARE?
Episode #2.1: Racial Discrimination in College Process
Instagram to be shared on the network’s Instagram handle: @carehv
You are listening to Do You CARE? with your host(s) the HV CARE Leaders.
In this episode of Do You CARE the Podcast we will be discussing how the college application process affects different groups of people, our experience of applying to colleges, and what can be done to establish equal opportunities for everyone.
Today’s Hosts:
- Olivia Kim
- Xavier Jimenez
- Anushka Agarwal
- Elliot Block
- Imani Horne
- Regina Franco
Segment 1: Background Information on Us (pronouns, ethnicity, and maybe academic stats?)
- Maybe whether or not we chose to submit our SAT score, did we have a tutor or consultant, APs, jobs?
- Name
- Pronouns
- Ethnicity
- Major
- SAT (did we submit our scores?)
- School we’ve committed to?
Segment 2: Inequalities in the College Process
- Definition and important points:
- How many schools did you apply to?
- Why did you apply to those schools?
- How much did application fees cost? (did you get a fee waiver anywhere)
- How did you feel during the college process?
- Essentially, the NEA, which is the National Education Association Labor Union, explains that the SAT exam is a standardized test. This means that everyone takes the same test regardless of where in the U.S. they live. The US doesn’t standardize high school education, which means that students from rural areas of the country will test lower than students from private schools in the northeast because of the type of education, curriculums, and experience they lack.
- The Washington Post released bar charts of information that show students who have parents with a higher education tend to score higher. Another chart shows that students whose parents have a high family income, are more likely to score higher and closer to a perfect score. Low income families receive low scores.
- Private College consultants ($$$$)
- SAT/ACT Tutoring ($$$)
- Common App data shows that the number of applications being submitted is increasing, but the number of applications from first-generation students and low-income families is decreasing (Black, Latinx, and Native American students).
- Could this be because these families cannot pay the application fees?
- Students who disclose their school disciplinary history tend to not apply to college because of it.
- Another note about the college process: people who do early decision to schools may have a higher chance of getting admitted into their school, but certain people - especially students from lower income backgrounds - are not able to make that financial commitment in ED
- How white applicants are treated different from applicants of people of color, especially Asian American applicants
- As college admissions become increasingly competitive each year (we can attest to this!), socioeconomic and racial disparities will only increase as well
Segment 3: Our Personal Experiences, if any
- Time to share
- Maybe talk about the documentary Operation Varsity Blues (Rick Singer)
Segment 4: Ways to Create Equal Opportunities
- Elliot’s dad
- End legacy admissions
- Stop preferential admission for athletes? Maybe? Not sure
- Athletic ability or academic merit?
- Should students with academic merit be given preference over athletes?
- What is or what should be the role of sports at college? (Consider the purpose of college and university in the first place)
- Abolish standardized testing (SAT, ACT)
- Or provide equal counseling opportunities for every single prospective student
- Why do we have to pay an application fee?
- Some schools generate millions of dollars just on application fees
- Teach, show, and provide the tools for students to apply to college
- Teach everyone how common app works
- Implement time during school to work on it
- Free wifi
- Technology (computer)
- Provide counseling for advice and information
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