Supporting Low-Income, High-Achieving Students

High-achieving students from low-income families often start school with sharp minds and strong ambition. What they don’t start with is access—at least, not in the ways that tend to matter most. Advanced programs may be missing entirely from their school district. After-school enrichment activities usually come with a price tag. Accelerated courses may not be offered, or offered once and then eliminated due to budget cuts. Plus, when families are stretched thin and busy, students may take on caregiving roles or work evening shifts, filling in gaps their caregivers can’t cover. Time becomes something they give away before they ever get to invest it in themselves.

As the years pass, the distance grows. Grades stay strong, sometimes exceptional, yet top universities often look for more than transcripts. They scan for research internships, national competitions, or club presidencies—markers of achievement that often require time, money, or both. Students with equal potential are rarely given equal opportunity. Some are coached to aim for elite schools, while others never even learn the deadlines.

Merit-based aid can help cover tuition, but it rarely addresses the years of disadvantage that came before it. That imbalance persists even when grades are strong. Throughout this article, we’ll highlight that what drives outcomes isn’t just intent but also design: defaults that turn eligibility into enrollment, transparency that clears up tuition misconceptions before applications are filed, and communication that eases friction during critical summer transitions. For leaders who’ve long known talent is everywhere, the question isn’t whether it exists. The challenge is building structures that make sure talent doesn’t go to waste.