TRPI Publishes ‘College Knowledge’ Fact Sheets.

Readers of La Opinion (Los Angeles), La Raza (Chicago), and El Diario (New York) found a surprise in their morning papers today – localized guides to college readiness created by the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI). The Spanish language newspaper inserts, developed in partnership with MTV, are designed to give parents the information they need to help their children win admission to competitive colleges and universities.

According to a 2003 TRPI study, only 16.4 percent of Latinos in their late 20s have college degrees, compared to 36.5 percent of Caucasians. The non-profit organization developed the “College Knowledge” program to help reduce this achievement gap.

The fact sheets encourage parents to be closely involved in their children’s academic life and suggest three easy steps to prepare for the application process, including: • Enrolling in the advanced high school classes required for admission to state universities and other competitive four-year colleges; • Keeping teenagers on a college schedule by tracking application deadlines and sign-up dates for standardized tests, such as the ACT and SAT; and • Getting help with the cost of higher education through scholarships and financial aid programs.

Jorge Ramos, an Emmy award-winning journalist and anchor of Noticiero Univision, the network’s major evening news cast, is featured on the inserts stressing the importance of attending college. “Give your children a better chance of going to college and succeeding in school and in life by following these three simple steps,” he said.

Research shows that college graduates will earn an average of $1.75 million over their lifetime, while individuals who don’t go to college will make only $750,000. “College is a million dollar decision,” said TRPI President Harry Pachon. “These inserts will help parents and students understand what’s needed to gain admission to a competitive college before it’s too late.”

The “College Knowledge” fact sheets are a component to a larger TRPI education initiative to tackle Latino under-education at both the school and community level that includes an administrator’s guide to successful outreach programs, a media campaign comprised of news segments produced by and aired on MTV, and college information events for Latino parents.

Partners in the development of the initiative include the James Irvine Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MTV, the Sallie Mae Fund, Honda, ImpreMedia, Boeing, and Toyota Motor Company.

The fact sheets are available at http://www.trpi.org