The Talent Blind Spot: The Case for Increasing Community College Transfer to High Graduation Rate Institutions

Research has revealed that, each year, thousands of low-income high school graduates do not even apply to top colleges despite having the grades and test scores that make them competitive for admission. This fact has sparked a renewed sense of urgency among many selective institutions and nonprofit organizations to expand opportunity. The vast majority of those efforts are aimed at talented, lower-income high school students, helping them attend and pay for top colleges and universities through, for example, better advising on “college match,” promises for debt-free college, and revamped admissions processes. This article makes a case for increasing community college transfer to high graduation rate institutions.