[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 432 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 432

  Designating November 2019 as ``National College Application Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           November 19, 2019

 Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, Mr. Carper, and 
Ms. Ernst) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Designating November 2019 as ``National College Application Month''.

Whereas equality of opportunity for all people is one of the noblest aspirations 
        of the United States;
Whereas the National Center for Education 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 14 percentage points;
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 the Education Commission of the States highlights that the number of 
        nontraditional students at colleges and universities is expected to rise 
        65 percent faster than the number of traditional students during the 15-
        year period ending in 2024;
Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately 31 percent of 
        high school graduates in 2018 did not matriculate to an institution of 
        higher education the following fall semester, representing little change 
        in the college enrollment of new high school graduates from the prior 
        year;
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 2018 was 18.6 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 the 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; and
Whereas 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 63 percent more likely to begin postsecondary 
        education: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates November 2019 as ``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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