Class Conscious
Low-income students have long been a rare and invisible minority at elite colleges. That may be about to change
Where the Poor Are
Economic diversity on campus can be measured by the number of students receiving federal Pell Grants.
INSTITUTION(STATE) UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS PCT. OF TOTAL
Univ. of Calif.-Los Angeles 25,328 8,887 35.1
Univ. of Calif.-Berkeley 23,269 7,549 32.4
Amherst College(MA) 1,640 259 15.8
Columbia Univ.(NY) 6,867 1,023 14.9
Univ. of N.C.-Chapel Hill 15,844 2,090 13.2
Univ. of Mich.-Ann Arbor 24,547 3,073 12.5
Yale University(CT) 5,286 536 10.1
Williams College(MA) 1,997 188 9.4
Princeton University(NJ) 4,744 350 7.4
Harvard University(MA) 9,637 655 6.8
Source: Century Foundation, figures from the 2001-2002 academic year
DEBT RELIEF
These schools have replaced loans with grants in their neediest students' financial aid packages. Princeton has done so for all students receiving aid.
INSTITUTION
Dartmouth College
Harvard University
Princeton University
Rice University
University of Maryland-College Park
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Virginia
Yale University
The Odds of Getting In
Non-minority, low-income applicants with the same SAT scores as recruited athletes, minorities, or alumni kids are less likely to be admitted.
Percent admitted to college
SAT SCORE RANGE
Less than 900 1250-1299 1550-1600
All recruited athletes 56.4 pct. 77.2 pct. 93.3 pct.
All blacks and Latinos
All children of alumni
Non-minority bottom quartile 2.9 pct. 37 pct. 78.8 pct.
[Chart labels]
Percent admitted to college 0,20,40,60,80,100 pct.
SAT score range Less than 900,900-949,950-999,1000-1049,1050-1099,1100-1149, 1150-1199
Source: Equity and Excellence in American Higher Education, based on 1995 data from 19 selective schools
USN&WR
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