College applications are at the forefront of Archie Williams seniors’ minds, illuminating systemic wealth barriers to higher education, with wealthier students having easier access to resources that provide advantages in college admissions. Although Marin is an affluent area, socioeconomic disparities persist. Family financial situations remain one of the most critical factors in the colleges Archie Williams students are willing and able to apply to, a factor that can limit the opportunities available for lower-income applicants.
From the cost of the SAT or ACT, Advanced Placement (AP) tests, and application fees to the cost of private tutoring or college counseling, college is a steep financial burden on families even before they pay tuition. Coming from a wealthy family allows students to take the SAT as many times as possible to get an improved score. It also opens up college options that best fit students’ wants, rather than restricting them to in-state public schools with lower tuition. The financial pressures of college applications create inequity in college admissions processes, limiting opportunity for some applicants.
Standardized testing serves as one example of wealth inequality; despite aiming to compare students on a common benchmark through the SAT or ACT, all students are not on equal playing fields. A recent study from Opportunity Insights, a research lab at Harvard University, found that the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans are 13 times more likely to score a 1300 or higher on the SAT than low-income students…