Today’s Students: The data is clear — our postsecondary policies are failing students of color

Students of color, namely Black, Latino, Hispanic, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander students, make up a large and growing share of today’s students. However, time and time again, the data show our policies and systems are failing them, as race continues to be a predictor of success in higher education. This conclusion could not be clearer when looking at the most recent data from the 2019–2020 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), which is designed to demonstrate how students and their families pay for school.

In Higher Learning Advocates’ analysis of the data, we found glaring disparities among students of color in general. However, when we drilled down into the data by looking at the intersection of race and gender, the numbers were even more striking. Here are our key takeaways as it relates to this critical student population:

Takeaway #1: Generational experience, wealth. and income still differ significantly by race:

• ⅓ of students of color are at or below 100% of the poverty level.
• 63% of students of color are first-generation students.
• 45% of students of color have a zero estimated family contribution (EFC), and 81% of students of color have unmet need.

Takeaway #2: Students of color are more likely to experience food and housing insecurity:

• Almost 30% of students of color reported experiencing low or very low food security, and 9% reported experiencing homelessness in the last 30 days.
• 18% of students of color reported being a part of households that received SNAP benefits in 2019 or 2020.

Takeaway #3: Many students of color come from low-income households and are facing basic needs insecurity:

• Almost 40% of men of color and half of women of color have a zero EFC.
• 80% of men of color and 88% of women of color have unmet need.
• About a quarter of both men and women of color reported low or very low food security in the last 30 days.

Takeaway #4: Students who are women of color have many demands outside of the classroom, and 62% are enrolled full-time:

• 25% have dependent children.
• 26% work full-time, and 48% work part-time.
• 50% are independent.

Students with significant unmet need, like Kimberly, shouldn’t have to worry about attending school full-time while working multiple hours after class simply because of today’s outdated financial aid policies. It’s time to enact change for today’s students, and this new data from NPSAS makes it clear why.