Despite National Drop in College Enrollment Rate, Queens Students Prepare for Higher Education with Urban Upbound
by Maggie Hutchison, Data & Evaluation Manager
In late 2020, NPR reported on the plummeting college enrollment rates among graduating high school seniors. New data from the National Student Clearinghouse reveals that the number of new high school graduates enrolling in college is down 21.7% from 2019 — among graduates who attended high school in areas with higher poverty rates, college enrollment is down 32%. Despite this bleak prospect for college-aged students, Urban Upbound’s College Access program has seen a record number of participants this fiscal year, even during the pandemic.
Spearheaded by Quneetsha Minor, College Access works with high school students to help prepare them for college. The program works to increase PSAT and SAT scores of Sophomores and Juniors, respectively, and counsels Seniors on college applications, financial aid, and their adjustment to college life. At the beginning of the pandemic, Quneetsha shifted programming to include online workshops and classes. Her ingenuity and adaptability — and that of the whole College Access program — has allowed her to continue to engage low-income students from Western Queens, despite the crisis.
Low-income students are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, and their access to education is no exception. While many students are choosing to postpone the beginning of their college education in order to work and save money, many students continue to express their interest in pursuing higher education following the end of the pandemic. Underscoring the continued interest, almost 100 students registered into the College Access program this fiscal year alone.
Hope remains for young adults aspiring to earn a college degree. For many, their studies will begin once classes return in person; for others, courses will commence when finances stabilize at home. College-enrolled students are capitalizing on the lower-than-usual number of applications and using this as a time to transfer schools, change majors, and more. High school students are preparing for college regardless of enrollment trends, and College Access continues to engage and encourage students from Western Queens to pursue higher education.
Urban Upbound is enormously grateful to all our supporters and donors that allow us to continue serving the communities that need help the most. Please donate to help low-income families during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you’d like to learn more about our impact and work, please follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube) or subscribe to our newsletter.
