Research Blog #8: Case Study

 

One of my key cases is the Rutgers Future Scholars, a program offered by Rutgers University which helps students get into college. This program shows that the racial and economic gap does in fact exist, but that affirmative action itself works in combating this gap.

Applicants into RFS must meet certain criteria; that their household is below a certain income in relation to the number of household members, that they must have a B average or greater, a GPA of 3.0 or greater, must be a first generation college student, have parents who fully commit to supporting their child through the program, and that they be in 7th grade. RFS follows and guides students from 7th grade all the way to postsecondary education, such as trade schools, community colleges, colleges, and universities. Each group of scholars, a cohort, is composed of 200 students who share the same journey from middle school to postsecondary over the course of nine years. Future scholars get aid from Rutgers in the form of mentors and tutorship, both from students and staff from the university as well as RFS alumni, much like Yvans Tsague, who was a member of the first cohort of Future Scholars. They also have summer programs surrounding the arts and seminars of life advice. Many scholars have found their lives changed between the two of these things, not only being academically supported but socially as well. This support proves invaluable to the abundant success of the program. Scholars will also find opportunities in formed connections throughout the program as well as paid internship and other like positions with the various public and private donors of the RFS. Arguably the most important aspect is that most if not all scholars get free college tuition should they choose Rutgers or partial support if they go elsewhere, without which a postsecondary education would be unattainable regardless of other forms of support.  

The success of the program cannot be overstated. The first cohort of scholars began in 2008 and graduated in 2017. On average, 183 students of each cohort graduate high school--a feat in and of itself--with 163 going on to post secondary education, and 98 promised full aid from Rutgers. In fact, most students of those who go onto postsecondary choose Rutgers. On top of this, a total of 30 million dollars is saved annually by the state of New Jersey. Low balling estimates predict that income tax for the state will increase by $70,000 per male scholar and $48,000 per female scholar (DiUlio). There are also other forms of tax to consider, such as sales and property taxes, as well as a reduction in spending for public healthcare and welfare.

The reason why affirmative action and the RFS program are important is because they open up doors and opportunities that would otherwise be closed to them, and many of the students acknowledge this, saying that they wouldn't be where they are without the support of RFS. Jason Gaines, for instance, struggled. His father was in and out of jail, and his mother died in the middle of high school. Without any guardians, he would be forced to move away, and thus no longer be able to attend his school or the RFS programs. Instead, the leadership of RFS and devised a way for a nearby relative to care for Jason, who later went onto college. In total, there have been 2000 student future scholars as of 2017 with more counting in the past four years. Nearly all their lives have been made the better for it. Disadvantaged kids deserve a fair shot too, and when given it, they can and will rise to the challenge. 

Works Cited:

 

DiUlio, Nick. “Promises Made, Promises Kept.” Rutgers Magazine, Rutgers University, 2017, ucmweb.rutgers.edu/magazine/1419archive/features/promises-made-promises-kept.html. Accessed 15 April 2021

Rutgers Future Scholars, Rutgers University, futurescholars.rutgers.edu/app/content/home.jsp. Accessed 15 April 2021