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Sept. 20, 2007

Minority College Enrollments Edge Higher

The number and proportion of minority students enrolled in American colleges both continued to grow in 2004, according to the American Council on Education’s annual report on the status of minorities in higher education. But the group’s data-filled study also showed that the rates at which black and Hispanic Americans enroll in college continues to lag their white peers significantly.

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“Minorities in Higher Education 22nd Annual Status Report: 2007 Supplement,” which the council released Wednesday, represents a slight change in practice by higher education’s umbrella group. Citing the relatively small change that occurs from year to year in most of its indicators, the group decided that rather than release a full-blown report every year, it will switch to a biennial schedule, publishing a supplement updating heavily used tables in the odd years, with this year’s being the first. The next full version of the report, the 23rd Annual Status Report, will come out in 2008.

The changes in data may rarely be monumental, but they are still notable, and closely watched. The table below shows that the numbers of college-enrolled students from all minority groups continued to grow faster between 2003 and 2004 than did the number of white students at the undergraduate and graduate levels (though not in professional schools):

Higher Education Enrollments by Race, 2003 and 2004

 

2003

2004

% Change

Undergraduate

      

Total

14,473,884

14,780,630

2.1

White

9,086,030

9,162,653

0.8

African American

1,743,859

1,808,724

3.7

Hispanic

1,480,534

1,553,201

4.9

Asian American

850,968

872,535

2.5

American Indian

149,405

151,829

1.6

Foreign

312,506

313,392

0.3

Race/ethnicity unknown

850,582

918,296

8.0

Graduate

      

Total

2,097,511

2,156,885

2.8

White

1,232,868

1,255,857

1.9

African American

184,563

197,482

7.0

Hispanic

106,338

111,062

4.4

Asian American

97,677

100,815

3.2

American Indian

11,393

12,110

6.3

Foreign

270,352

268,034

-0.9

Race/ethnicity unknown

194,320

211,525

8.9

Professional

      

Total

329,076

334,529

1.7

White

220,024

223,012

1.4

African American

24,300

24,336

0.1

Hispanic

15,612

15,661

0.3

Asian American

38,388

39,661

3.3

American Indian

2,199

2,289

4.1

Foreign

8,330

8,181

-1.8

Race/ethnicity unknown

20,223

21,389

5.8

But the proportions of all black and Hispanic Americans who were enrolled in college in 2004-5 lagged significantly behind the comparable proportion of white Americans, as seen in the table below:

Proportion of 18- to 24-Year-Old High-School Graduates Enrolled in College, By Race

 

1995

2000

2005

All races

42.4%

43.3%

46.0%

White

44.0

44.2

48.7

African American

35.6

39.4

41.0

Hispanic

35.3

36.5

37.6

The council’s report includes breakdowns on minority enrollments by type and control of institution and by gender and race, and data on degrees conferred to different racial groups at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, among other statistics.

— Doug Lederman

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Comments

Worse Than That

If you are able to look at the student flow data through K-12 by race you will find that the attrition rates for the minority students exceed the total rates every year in every grade. By the time of high school graduation the available minority cohorts that can enter college under tradtitional admissions is significantly proportionaly smaller than the total cohort. It is a false premise that higher education is only responsible for equitable enrollment patterns based on the availble graduation cohorts created by the K-12 suppliers. That is a seriously flawed public policy. The Federal Gear-Up Program tries to address this policy gap but is woefully under funded compared to the task.So bemoan the data, but remember that it is skewed towards the positive.

Joe Hagy, Retired, at 8:45 am EDT on September 20, 2007

Enrollments in colleges, big mistake

Look at the numbers In 2005 3,000,000 graduated from high school. Look up ACT reports.

Now you say in 2005 46 % enrolled in colleges that is 1,380,000 students.

ACT made a research only 26 % of the high school graduates can make in college. ( That is 75 % of those 26 % can get grades C or better. Means rest drop out. )75 % of 26 % is 19,5 %.

19.5 % of 3,000,000 student is 585,000 students. That is 1,380,000 students enrolled in university in 2005But only 585,000 students can make the college that is get a grade of C or better.

1,380,000-585,000 = 795,000 students will drop out or already dropped out. If we had spent $ 10,000 peer student per year then 795,000x10,000= 7.95 BILLION is lost. Unfortunately same is true for Turkey Even worse. We have 600,000 higschool graduates. 85 % go into university within 1 year or more years to come, then 510,000 enrolls in college. But if we use the same percentage of USA 26 % of them are caoable to go to college, then only 156,000 are capable. Then 510,000-156,000 = 354,000 students is waste of money. I am informing all USA and Turkish politicians, please look at these numbers. Not every one has to go to college. If you do not go to college it is not the end of the world. Go to vocational school you like most. Earn money more than college graduates. Or college drop outs. In order to get low cost education and trainin use online education in any form from preschool to adult education. Muvaffak GOZAYDIN of Turkey mgozaydin@hotmail.com

mgozaydin, president at ONLINE Teknologies Co.Ltd, at 9:35 am EDT on September 20, 2007

Why do we spend so much energy and time calculating all of these percentages? It’s important to see the trends, of course, but what I want to see is the “Why"? What is the difference? Why is it that “Whites” are attending college on a greater level? The hardest part about a disertation is choosing the topic. Here is a good one for someone: “What is the reason that one demographic gets to college and another one struggles?” Look at things like home expectations, single parent homes vs married parents (happily and unhappily), when do parents begin coaching their children on going to college? How old are the children when the parents first use the words “college education". etc.Good luck to someone!

almost a graduate, at 11:55 am EDT on September 20, 2007

Coaching your children on going to college

It is not the end of this world not going to college. One tries to go to college that is fine. One has to decide weather or not he is capable to do so. SAT and ACT are wonderful tools available in the USA. Even we in Turkey use those tests they are just wonderful. If your score is less than some numbers do not try to go to college. Just select the best vocational school you like to do in life. One should not waste of his/her time for 1-2 year in order to be a drop out. Use your time wisely. Muvaffak Gozaydin mgozaydin@hotmail.com

mgozaydin, president at ONLINE Teknologies Co.Ltd, at 6:40 am EDT on September 21, 2007

pigeon holing

It is not that easy...It is an over simplification to say:"just take the test and if you don’t do well, go to a vocational school” ...People in vocational schools resent the fact that, to many attending traditional academic institutions, they are an intelectual cut “below.” This is not only false but also unfair. To many, attending a Tech/Voc school is what they chose to do...not what they did by default. Traditional Colleges and Universities should have an introductory course titled: “Respecting, and valuing those who have chosen a different path than yourselves.” Enough of the snobbery!

S.Patrick, Education at somewhere in Boston, at 9:50 am EDT on September 21, 2007

Dear Patrick

Sure it is not that simple. Just coaching the children all life going to college is wrong. If you cannot make it, why spend time and money, while you can make those wasted years with someone better than even college. As you know there are also colleges and colleges, Just to go any college does not mean you go to college. I do not hire even in Turkey the ones who graduated just from a ( ! ) college. Life is beautiful there are many more to do in life than going to college just for the sake of going to college. Look up the drop out rate. That is what I wanted to say.

muvaffak gozaydin, mr at online technology co.ltd, at 4:25 pm EDT on October 5, 2007

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