No merit scholarships
One big reason for that gap, Marthers says, is that other schools sweeten the pot with merit scholarships for exceptional students. Reed, on the other hand, offers only need-based financial aid.
| Minority applicants who decide against Reed also cite a desire
to stay closer to home, to the advantage of high-caliber schools in minority-rich regions
such as southern California or the Northeast.
This last objection is why building a critical mass of students of color on campus is so important, says Smith—especially with respect to African Americans, who make up fewer than two percent of Reed’s student population. “The goal is to get quality students of color who love academics,” she says. Smith’s split-time post was created in 2002 to both enhance minority student recruitment and foster a more supportive campus environment for students of color. As an admission officer, she conducts extensive outreach to prospective students of color. And as the first director of the Multicultural Resource Center, Smith works with student groups to help foster a welcoming environment on campus and support dialogue on difference. By organizing lunchtime discussions and lectures, helping students create campus programs, and giving advice about bias incidents, she’s helping students develop greater sensitivity and understanding to the unique needs of underrepresented classmates. |
|
