Why Many Smart, Low-Income Students Don't Apply To Elite Schools
http://www.npr.org/2015/03/16/393339590/why-many-smart-low-income-students-dont-apply-to-elite-schools
Right now, high school seniors across the country are trying hard not to think about what is — or isn't — coming in the mail.
They're anxiously awaiting acceptance letters (or the opposite) from their top-choice colleges and universities. But this story isn't about them. It's about a big group of seniors who could get into great schools but don't apply: high-achieving students from low-income families who live outside of America's big cities.
These students often wind up in community college or mediocre four-year schools. It's a phenomenon known in education circles as "undermatching."...
Recruiters seek out low-income high achievers by visiting selective high schools — often magnets or schools that require a test for admission. Even if they're not hitting up these selective schools, recruiters looking for low-income high achievers tend to focus on high-poverty ZIP codes in big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, or Dallas. Not Celina, Texas.
