[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1232 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1232

  Designating November 2020 as ``National College Application Month''.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 19, 2020

    Ms. Wild (for herself and Mr. Guthrie) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating November 2020 as ``National College Application Month''.

Whereas equality of opportunity for all people is one of the noblest aspirations 
        of the United States;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment rate for 
        young adults with a bachelor's degree and the employment rate for young 
        adults whose highest credential is a high school diploma differ by 20 
        percentage points, which has widened exponentially as a result of COVID-
        19;
Whereas a 2015 study by Georgetown University identified that the average 
        lifetime earnings gap between college graduates and individuals with 
        only a high school diploma is $1,000,000;
Whereas the Pew Economic Mobility Project finds that whether a child born in the 
        lowest income quintile obtains a 4-year degree or higher credential is 
        associated with--

    (1) an approximately 70 percent difference in the probability of that 
child earning an income outside the lowest income quintile; and

    (2) a threefold difference in the probability of that child going on to 
earn an income in the highest income quintile;

Whereas colleges and universities report that enrollment in the number of 
        nontraditional students at colleges and universities remains steady and 
        is projected to rise in coming years;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 34 percent of 
        high school graduates in 2019 did not matriculate to an institution of 
        higher education the following fall semester, representing a decline in 
        the college enrollment of new high school graduates from the prior year, 
        most notably from among students of color;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that the unemployment rate 
        for recent high school graduates not enrolled in college in the fall 
        semester of 2019 was 18.2 percent, significantly higher than the 
        national unemployment rate;
Whereas many secondary students struggle to identify and assess postsecondary 
        options due to a number of factors, including insufficient information 
        on programmatic outcomes and difficulties in accessing effective or 
        consistent counseling services and resources;
Whereas the complexity of financial aid systems and processes, rising college 
        costs, and a shortage of effective financial education and literacy 
        programs can serve as additional deterrents or barriers for students and 
        families as they assess the viability of higher education programs as a 
        postsecondary option;
Whereas the United States built a thriving middle class in part by nurturing the 
        potential for colleges and universities to provide avenues to economic 
        opportunity;
Whereas data on the benefits of higher education demonstrate that, in spite of 
        ongoing barriers to access and student success, colleges and 
        universities can still provide pathways to economic opportunity;
Whereas the National Center for Education Statistics High School Longitudinal 
        Survey finds completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 
        is one of the best predictors of future college enrollment, as high 
        school seniors who complete the form are 84 percent more likely to begin 
        postsecondary education; and
Whereas the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on communities, families, and educational 
        systems across the country underscores and reinforces the value of 
        ensuring that all secondary school students have available and 
        understand all their postgraduation options: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``National College 
        Application Month'';
            (2) encourages the people of the United States to--
                    (A) evaluate options for pursuing higher education;
                    (B) submit a Free Application for Federal Student 
                Aid to understand college financing opportunities; and
                    (C) support every student, regardless of the 
                background or resources of the student, in obtaining 
                the skills and knowledge needed to thrive;
            (3) supports efforts to better assist low-income and first-
        generation students throughout the financial aid and college 
        application process;
            (4) urges public officials, educators, parents, students, 
        and communities in the United States to observe ``National 
        College Application Month'' with appropriate activities and 
        programs designed to encourage students to consider, research, 
        and apply to college and for financial aid; and
            (5) commends teachers, counselors, mentors, and parents who 
        support students throughout the college application process, as 
        well as the organizations and institutions partnering to 
        eliminate barriers to higher education.
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