Monday, August 17, 1998

Poor students find college opportunities

A study commissioned by the U.S. Education Department is interesting and worth noting, but could easily lend itself to misinterpretation by those giving the results a cursory glance or people with a political purpose.

The study concludes that high school students who score well on standardized tests but who come from low-income families are less likely to go to college than all students from high-income families. It might sound as if the poorer youngsters are missing out on a college education because they just can't afford it.

But in fact, 75 percent of these students do go to college, the study also notes. For those who don't, money is not the crucial issue. Grants are available for those who are poorest, as well as all kinds of scholarships and loans for worthy applicants. While some private schools have become expensive for those who pay full tuition - mainly students whose families can foot the bill - many state schools are still relatively cheap.

The study, it's reported, says it's important for the talented low-income students to take demanding courses in the sciences and math early on and, also, to be informed of financial aid programs. In other words, high school counselors count for a lot in their educational futures. It cannot hurt, either, for government and nonprofit groups to publicly promote the advantages of higher education, thereby compensating for those families that don't emphasize it sufficiently.