[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 185 (Tuesday, November 19, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





SENATE RESOLUTION 432--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2019 AS ``NATIONAL COLLEGE 
                          APPLICATION MONTH''

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

                              S. Res. 432

       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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