The College Challenge

October 1, 2002

In June 2001, Catalyst published the first in a series of periodic reports on the experiences of nine African-American and Latino students who had their sights set on a college degree. In this issue, we cap off these personal reports with the results of a survey of 350 minority students from Chicago who are enrolled in a wide variety of four-year institutions. The survey was conducted by the Metro Chicago Information Center. The entire project was conducted in cooperation with Future Teachers of Chicago/Illinois, under a grant from The Joyce Foundation.

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Minority students rate college prep, problems Lorraine Forte Take a walk on just about any college campus, and you'll likely see a more diverse picture than ever before. While students of color are still underrepresented, they've made significant progress in gaining access to higher education. During the 1990s, their enrollment increased 48 percent, according to a recent report by the American Council on Education. That means more minorities than ever have the chance to earn a degree, which typically leads to better jobs and higher pay. But the picture at graduation is much less diverse. Fewer than half of minority students who enroll... > Read More
Students navigate turbulent waters Debra Williams In early 2001, Associate Editor Debra Williams caught up with nine students who had their sights set on a college degree. They ranged from high school juniors to college sophomores. Recruited by Future Teachers of Chicago/Illinois, they agreed to share their experiences for two years. Though uncharted, their journeys wound up illuminating many of the challenges that minority students face in getting a college education. Although keeping track of them proved to be a challenge in and of itself, Williams is happy to report that all are still in school. She believes that all of them will make... > Read More
The College Challenge Catalyst In June 2001, Catalyst published the first in a series of periodic reports on the experiences of nine African-American and Latino students who had their sights set on a college degree. In this issue, we cap off these personal reports with the results of a survey of 350 minority students from Chicago who are enrolled in a wide variety of four-year institutions. The survey was conducted by the Metro Chicago Information Center. The entire project was conducted in cooperation with Future Teachers of Chicago/Illinois, under a grant from The Joyce Foundation. The problem... > Read More
Aspiring teachers duck science, special education Lorraine Forte Like other states, Illinois has few minority teachers to head classrooms that are becoming more and more diverse. Less than a quarter of the students who graduated from state colleges of education in 2000 were minorities, according to the Illinois Board of Higher Education. In contrast, 40 percent of the state's schoolchildren were minorities. The survey of minority college students sponsored by CATALYST and Future Teachers of Chicago/Illinois (FTCI) offers both good news and bad news for narrowing the gap: While students expressed a relatively strong interest in teaching, few... > Read More
High costs cast shadow over college work Lorraine Forte Nationwide, some 70 percent of full-time college students receive some kind of financial aid, according to the American Council on Education. Among the students surveyed by Catalyst, the percentage is 94. Neither number is surprising, given the high cost of a college education and the generally lower financial standing of minority families. In Illinois this fall, the annual average cost of attending a four-year public institution is $10,709; for private schools, the cost is $22,576. Nationally, those numbers last year were $11,976 and $26,070, respectively, according... > Read More
Finding their space Lorraine Forte and Debra Williams To get a different perspective from our survey, Catalyst interviewed several African-American and Latino faculty and staff at area colleges and universities. They cited the well-known problems, such as coming up with enough money and overcoming academic deficits, but they also stressed the difficulties of "fitting in" to the college culture, especially at predominantly white institutions. Here is a sample of their observations. Rodrigo Carramiñana: University of Illinois at Chicago Director, Latino Cultural Center, math professor "I think the first thing... > Read More