Archived Information

HIGH HOPES for College for America's Youth

The Urgent Need for High Hopes: College graduates can expect to earn at least $600,000 more over their lifetime than high school graduates. This amount has doubled in the past fifteen years and is expected to grow, making college education more important than ever before. [Census Bureau, 1993] However, high-achieving students from low-income families are five times less likely to attend college than students from high-income families. [National Education Longitudinal Survey (NELS) 1998]

The High Hopes Initiative: President Clinton recently announced High Hopes for College -- an initiative that will inspire more young people to have high expectations, to stay in school and study hard, and to go to college. This initiative, which is moving through Congress with bipartisan support, makes a long-term investment (starting with $140 million in FY99) to promote partnerships between colleges and middle or junior high schools in low-income communities. Through High Hopes, children would receive the support they need starting in 6th or 7th grade and continuing through high school graduation, as well as early notification of their eligibility for student financial aid.

High Hopes would provide 6-year grants, through a competitive process, to support locally designed partnerships aimed at increasing college attendance by low-income youth. While High Hopes partnerships will reflect each community's needs and resources, to be most effective, the programs would be based on the following proven strategies:

• Inform Students and Parents about College Options and Financial Aid. High Hopes will increase access to college by informing students and parents about college options, costs, and financial aid, and by presenting every student with a 21st Century Scholar Certificate -- an official, early notification of their eligibility for Federal financial aid. College costs are not nearly as high as many families assume, and many families are unaware of financial aid programs like Pell grants, federal work-study, and loans.

  Among high-scoring, low-income students who do not plan to attend college, nearly 60 percent cite an inability to afford school as the reason. [NELS 1998]

  A recent survey found that the public overestimates the tuition of public two-year colleges by about three times ($2,330 above the actual average tuition), and it overestimates the tuition at public four-year colleges by two times ($3,148 above actual average tuition). [American Council on Education, 1996]

  About 80% of children whose parents read materials about financial aid go on to college, compared to only 55% of children whose parents do not read this material (among 12th graders interested in continuing their education after high school). [NELS 1998]

• Promote Rigorous Academic Coursework for All Students. By working with an entire grade of students, High Hopes would raise the expectations for all students at participating schools -- ensuring that children know what they need to learn and are encouraged to take the rigorous courses required for college. At the same time, High Hopes would show parents how they can help their children prepare for college. Low-income students who take algebra I and geometry are almost three times as likely to attend college as those who do not (71% vs. 26%). [NELS 1998]

  Although taking algebra by the 8th grade is considered a gateway to college preparatory courses, only 15 percent of low-income students enroll in algebra by the 8th grade. [National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 1996]

  Remedial education at the college level is expensive. Texas alone spent $153 million on college remedial programs in 1995-96 -- more than enough money to pay for the first year of the High Hopes initiative, which would help students across the nation prepare for college. [NCES 1996, and Chronicle of Higher Education, 7/2/96]

• Challenge Colleges and Universities to Partner with Middle Schools. High Hopes is intended to create a national ethic that all colleges should partner with at least one low-income school, starting in the 6th or 7th grade, and work with the students to ensure that they have the opportunity and preparation to attend college. High Hopes also requires at least two additional partners such as parent organizations, community and religious groups, state and local education agencies, or businesses.

  These partners would provide information about what it takes to go to college and would introduce students to the college environment through campus visits, summer programs, and after-school activities that will help students stay on track.

• Start Early and Follow Students Through High School Graduation. Beginning with students in 6th or 7th grade, High Hopes would provide comprehensive support to help students succeed in high school and continue on to college. This includes intensive academic and personal supports, like mentoring, tutoring and counseling.

  Studies of similar programs that start early and provide sustained, comprehensive support services have shown that low-income students who participate are more likely than their peers to graduate on-time and enroll in college, and they are less likely to skip class, drop out of school, or begin using illegal drugs or alcohol. [Public/Private Ventures, Making a Difference, 1995, and I Have a Dream Foundation Report, 1995.]

High Hopes Complements Other Early Intervention Programs. High Hopes is different from TRIO and other early intervention and mentoring programs -- High Hopes starts early and stays with children through high school with comprehensive services, it works with entire grades of children rather than pulling out a select few, and it is aimed at creating a new national ethic that all colleges have a responsibility to partner with low-income middle schools.

• TRIO only reaches 10% of the eligible population; High Hopes will help reach many more young people and help create a new national ethic. If each High Hopes project begins with one 6th or 7th grade class, this initiative would fund partnerships with up to 2,500 middle and junior high schools. If each project adds an incoming class each year, more than 1 million students would be served over five years.

• High Hopes would replace two existing unfunded early intervention programs (School, College and University Partnerships and Model Program Community Partnership and Counseling Grants), and the Administration proposal and the House Committee bill both eliminate at least 33 other programs in the Higher Education Act.

Broad Support for High Hopes: The High Hopes initiative, a top priority for the Administration, has strong support in Congress and from a broad range of colleges and universities, education associations and community organizations. Endorsements include:

• 68 Members of Congress, both Republicans and Democrats;

• More than 300 college and university presidents;

• 66 education and community organizations, including:
  American Council on Education,
  American Federation of Teachers,
  Association of Community College Trustees,
  Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America,
  Boys and Girls Clubs of America,
  Communities in Schools, Inc.,
  Mentoring USA,
  NAACP,
  National Association of Elementary School Principals,
  National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators,
  National College Access Network,
  National Education Association,
  United States Student Association,
  Urban Family Institute
  Volunteers of America,
  And the YMCA of the United States of America.

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