Dive Brief:
- Harvard University has announced a campaign to encourage low-income students to apply to Harvard and other elite schools.
- The Harvard College Connection initiative will feature a new website, social media and video to spread the word about financial aid options.
- The university plans to hire additional staff for the operation, which will formally launch this fall.
Dive Insight:
Harvard gives the following statistic: About a third of high-achieving high school seniors from the bottom quarter of America’s income distribution attend a selective college, compared with 78% of those from the top quarter. Harvard hopes to change that statistic and says that research shows text messages and Facebook can help encourage students to attend college. The school says the initiative is meant to raise enrollment of low-income students not just at Harvard, but at other schools, too.