[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 178 (Thursday, November 17, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 846--DESIGNATING NOVEMBER 2022 AS ``NATIONAL COLLEGE 
                          APPLICATION MONTH''

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

                              S. Res. 846

       Whereas equality of opportunity for all people is one of 
     the noblest aspirations of the United States;
       Whereas data on the benefits of higher education 
     demonstrates that, while disparities to access and student 
     success persist, postsecondary education can still provide 
     pathways to economic opportunity;
       Whereas the United States built a thriving middle class by 
     providing students with postsecondary opportunities that lead 
     to individual economic opportunity and shared economic 
     growth;
       Whereas higher education enhances the economic mobility of 
     individuals, which is evidenced by--
       (1) a finding by the Brookings Institute that the median 
     lifetime earnings of holders of an associate degree are 
     uniformly greater than the median lifetime earnings of 
     holders of solely a high school diploma; and
       (2) a finding by the Pew Economic Mobility Project that, 
     for an individual born in the lowest income quintile, 
     obtaining a 4-year degree or a higher degree is associated 
     with--
          (A) greater likelihoods of economic mobility compared to 
     individuals who do not earn such degrees; and
          (B) a greater than threefold difference in the 
     probability of that individual going on to earn an income in 
     the highest income quintile;
       Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that--
       (1) the unemployment rate of high school graduates in 2021 
     who did not immediately matriculate to an institution of 
     higher education the following fall semester was 21.6 
     percent, 6 times higher than the overall unemployment rate of 
     the United States;
       (2) approximately 38 percent of high school graduates in 
     2021 did not immediately matriculate to an institution of 
     higher education the following fall semester, which 
     represents a 0.9 percentage point decline from the prior 
     year, and a 7.3 percentage point decline from 2018;
       (3) the decline described in paragraph (2) was most notable 
     among male high school graduates, who faced a 12-percent 
     decline from 2018 in immediate matriculation to an 
     institution of higher education; and
       (4) the unemployment rate of adults with a bachelor's 
     degree is approximately half the unemployment rate of adults 
     whose highest credential is a high school diploma, a gap that 
     has grown larger as a result of COVID-19;
       Whereas the National Student Clearinghouse reports that 
     undergraduate enrollment in colleges and universities 
     continues to decline precipitously even as the United States 
     recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for 
     nontraditional students;
       Whereas the complexity of financial aid systems and rising 
     college costs 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 many students struggle to identify and compare 
     postsecondary options due to--
       (1) difficulties accessing school counseling services, 
     which is evidenced by an estimation of the American School 
     Counselor Association that the student-to-counselor ratio in 
     the United States is 415 to 1;
       (2) an absence of reliable programmatic and institutional 
     outcome data; and
       (3) a lack of comparable and understandable college 
     financial aid offers;
       Whereas, in addition to expanding outreach and support to 
     recent high school graduates, colleges and universities must 
     also expand outreach and support to all undergraduate 
     students;
       Whereas applications for State-based financial aid are 
     available in many States for students who do not qualify for 
     Federal student aid; and
       Whereas the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 
     communities, families, and educational systems across the 
     United States underscores and reinforces the value of 
     ensuring that all individuals, including students enrolled in 
     high school and working adults--
       (1) understand their postsecondary options;
       (2) understand college financing opportunities; and
       (3) have support to navigate the college application and 
     financial aid processes: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates November 2022 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 or an 
     appropriate application for State-based financial aid in 
     order to receive college financing opportunities; and
       (C) support every student, regardless of the background, 
     age, 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 college 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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