Many of us who worked with high school students after the Supreme Court’s landmark decision to overturn race-conscious admissions cannot claim to be surprised by the news of declining enrollment among Black and Latinx students at many college campuses, especially those considered competitive for admission.
We saw this coming.
Last year, we witnessed numerous highly qualified students hesitating to apply to schools because they received a message that they would not be accepted without affirmative action. This year, it is more important than ever that we encourage our Black and Latinx students to apply to schools attended by similar students before the court’s decision was reversed. Mentorship plays a crucial role in achieving this objective.
Another year of declines in enrollment among Black and Latinx students could potentially set off a domino effect in some of our nation’s most prestigious institutions, creating a perception that they are unwelcoming to students of color.
As a society, we simply cannot afford this. We are at a demographic turning point: Generation Z is projected to be the final majority-white generation; the majority of Americans under the age of 18 are “nonwhite.” If we do not increase the number of Black and Latinx students attending colleges where they belong and deserve to have a seat at the table, we are impacting the future of America.
To alter this new dynamic, we need to think beyond the [check your race] box. College-educated adults hold the key to reshaping the support system for Black and Latinx students in navigating the college process so they can unlock their full potential and achieve economic mobility.
As colleges place more emphasis on early action and deadlines tailored to first-generation students, our Black and Latinx high school seniors have the opportunity to make their voices heard through the power of their applications.
Increasing applications by the early admission deadlines in November is a crucial initial step.
Additionally, first-generation students need to establish strong, trusting relationships before, during, and after the application process to reinforce a sense of belonging. The adults these students encounter early in their lives – often outside the home – can help mitigate a significant shift in the composition of college enrollment across our nation.
Over the past 25 years of working predominantly with first-generation and low-income students, I have found that the path to and through college is built on a mentorship model that heavily relies on schools, corporations, and communities working together seamlessly. This tripartite support system needs to collaborate even more closely to encourage students to increase their applications and enrollment in selective universities.
Through a focus group of 42,000 (the total number of students mentored since 1999), my organization has demonstrated that starting junior year of high school with 1:1 mentoring is effective and ensures that every student has an adult advocate to not only help them navigate the path to college but also build the sense of belonging necessary to persevere to graduation.
Mentorship cultivates the social capital needed to establish careers and lay the foundation for long-term economic mobility.
Every adult must adopt a mentoring mindset. We cannot stand by and watch as Black and Latinx students are excluded from college.
One successful mentoring model I have observed involves partnerships with corporations that open their doors to high school students. This helps students begin charting a course toward college and career paths through interactive experiences in both the conference room and classroom.
As diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives decline on college campuses, many corporations are expanding their own affinity groups and DEI initiatives. For students, these corporate communities foster a sense of belonging in both college and careers. For adults, these experiences deepen their understanding of the many inequalities faced by Black and Latinx, often first-generation, students.
Seemingly simple connections make a difference. Establishing trust and confidence early in a relationship helps students envision their future selves in their mentors. More Black and Latinx students need to hear “we don’t know unless we try,” and this work must begin well before senior year.
Viewing things through the perspective of a trusted adult, students can better trust the process and not be deterred by setbacks such as court decisions being reversed.
While the decrease in Black and Latinx students enrolled in some selective universities this fall is disheartening, there is hope. The vast majority of students (97 percent) mentored in my organization who apply to college are accepted.
Higher education also plays a crucial role as we enter this admissions year. I commend those who have already reached out to help encourage underrepresented students to apply for college.
Through a supportive ecosystem, more Black and Latinx students will secure seats at the table in college and beyond.
Mentorship helps bridge equity gaps for first-generation students, guiding them toward successful college careers and beyond. Together, we can turn these recent challenges into a transformative opportunity for lasting impact. The future needs as many Black and Latinx college-educated students as possible.
Heather D. Wathington is the CEO of iMentor, a national leader in 1:1 mentoring that fosters long-term, personal relationships to assist students, primarily first-generation college students from under-resourced communities, in accessing and navigating postsecondary education and careers.
Contact the opinion editor at [email protected].
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