|
The Challenge
Consider this: African-American and Hispanic young people compose 29 percent of the U.S. college-age population, yet they make up only 12 percent of the population at the nation’s most selective colleges.Just five percent of all high school students scoring 1300 or better on the SAT are African American or Hispanic, even though these ethnic groups together compose 21 percent of test-takers.
Likewise, in the high school class of 2006, fewer than seven percent of Advanced Placement test-takers were African American—less than half of their percentage in the overall student population. When they do take these classes, African Americans and Hispanics score lower on AP exams than their peers.
These numbers tell a clear story. Too few bright young people from underrepresented groups, particularly those from lower-income families, receive the support and preparation they need to be highly qualified applicants for selective colleges, and from there, to become candidates for competitive professions and leadership roles.