Right now, colleges and universities are under attack. The current presidential administration is slashing funding, often for research, and opening up investigations to crack down on “woke” policies and critical diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

As dean of college at UIC College Prep, I have already seen how this is impacting our college-bound students and our alumni. Just in March, several of our alumni at The University of Michigan lost scholarships after the Alumni Association’s LEAD Scholars program, an initiative created to expand opportunity and increase student diversity on campus, was shut down. And there are several other colleges that are following suit. Our students, counselors, and university partners are uncertain about what will come in the future.

When I speak to other counselors about this, we wonder if colleges that have been advocates for historically underrepresented students (especially ones with generous financial aid policies) will be able to continue this practice in the face of government overregulation. However, while visiting four liberal arts colleges this week, I was reassured that they are committed to ensuring their institutions are places where diversity, equity, and inclusion are embraced and celebrated. I am also heartened by the news that many other colleges are coming together to push back against the policies and actions of the administration. Last month, faculty and university senates at the Big Ten universities signed resolutions to pool legal and financial resources to fight against the administration’s efforts. Around the same time, over 200 colleges signed a joint statement to condemn the government’s harmful overreach in higher learning.

While I hope our collective pushback will be successful in changing the administration’s stance, my team and I, along with our university partners, are still adjusting our strategy in the new norm to make sure our students still have the same access and equal opportunity to college.

We already began this process back in 2023 when the Supreme Court ruled to eliminate race from the college admissions process. Back then, I sat around a table in downtown Chicago with admissions officers from QuestBridge College Match partners, some of the nation’s top colleges, as we shared our fears about how it would impact both our students and campus diversity. Every single one of those colleges was committed to admitting a diverse class of scholars because they know it enriches their campuses and the educational journey of all students. However, how could they guarantee a truly diverse class if they couldn’t easily consider students’ varied racial experiences? (Look below at my tips for both high school counselors and college admissions on how to approach this.)

As other initiatives meant to help with issues of inequity in higher education are being investigated and cut, it is getting even more difficult for colleges to achieve that goal. High school counselors are worried that one of our students’ strengths– their diverse lived experiences– won’t be considered. They’re worried our students won’t have the same resources to get to college. And our students themselves are scared that colleges and universities will no longer value diversity on their campuses— that they might not be welcome because of their identities.

However, I am still hopeful. Many of my colleagues on the college side of the desk are doing what they can to admit and support historically underrepresented students. My team of counselors is working hard to guide our students through an ever-changing landscape. And our amazing students have still seen successes in the college admission process this year, with over 900 acceptances for current UICCP seniors and over $42 million in college grants and scholarships earned. We are all now just waiting to see if our government will support or hurt them as they pursue their college dreams.

We cannot always control what the government or college admin do. But we can advocate for our schools and students and focus on doing what we can to ensure they have access to the top institutions with the strongest financial aid possible. That being said, I have a few suggestions for both high school counselors and college admissions professionals on steps they can take, regardless of how we’re attacked, to keep colleges a place where multiple different perspectives and experiences improve the lives of all students.

• Talk to students openly about current events in the higher education landscape: I’ve found it helpful to check in with students about the Supreme Court decision and attacks on higher education. I ask what they’ve heard and how they feel about it. I’m open with them so they know how to navigate the application process in light of these events, and so they think about the news critically. Most of all, I tell them not to let any of this stop them from going after the higher education that they’ve worked so hard for and deserve.
  While the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are alarming, I don’t want to catastrophize the news. Colleges still value and want to support the identities and unique experiences of our students. College counselors are still working hard to make their students’ college dreams a reality. Our students need to know we have their backs and that there is hope. So, talk to your students candidly. Clear up any misconceptions for them and help them focus on what they can control in their application process.

• Encourage your students to share their identities proudly: Sometimes, my students ask if they have to tell a sob story to talk about their identities. I always tell them they can share their stories how they see fit, but I encourage them to focus on what they love about themselves. What aspects of their identity or culture bring them the most joy or pride? I remind them that their diverse perspectives bring value to a college campus and that admissions officers look for it in other parts of their applications ( especially since they can no longer see race in checkbox data and might lose further methods to identify diverse lived experiences with cuts to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.)
  Students should include their identities in many parts of their application: in personal statements, supplemental essays, and in their list of activities. For example, one of my students last year wrote proudly about her leadership as the president of the UICCP Black Student Union. This year, a senior wrote about her mixed identities as Asian and Latina, talking about how her experiences with each of these cultures made her more empathetic and open-minded.

• Ensure your high school profile reflects the diversity of your school: The school profile counselors send to colleges and post on our websites allows us to give context to our students’ applications. The UIC College Prep school profile includes information about our racial demographics, free and reduced-price lunch status, Pell Grant eligibility, neighborhood context, and our academic and college results. This information helps admissions officers understand the context of your school and where a student is coming from.
  For example, I have gotten feedback on UICCP’s profile from admissions officers who say it helps them understand specific challenges our students might face. For example, because of UICCP’s location in the Illinois Medical District, most of our students have significant commutes, so participating in after-school activities can be challenging. College admissions can consider this when evaluating a student’s activity list.

The best thing admissions professionals can do is recruit at diverse schools and ensure their events are accessible to students there. Here are some tips on how to do that:

• Visit diverse high schools and host events in the city: When colleges hold public events, they’re usually in the suburbs. A lot of my students and others in the city can’t get there, either because they don’t have access to a car or their family isn’t available when the event is held. Holding events in the city, near public transportation options— or, even better, in our schools themselves— is essential to reach all of our scholars. Many students can’t afford to visit your school, so being with them here gives them the chance to explore what you offer. It’s a great way for you to get them excited about applying.
  For highly selective colleges and universities, this is even more important! I know it feels more practical to host evening or weekend events to reach the whole Chicagoland area instead of visiting individual high schools in the city. I get it. When you only admit less than 15% of applicants, it can be hard to visit a school or even a smaller group of schools when only a few students might apply or be admissible. However, if you are committed to recruiting a diverse student body, it’s crucial that you do what you can to connect with our students in the city and meet them where they are.

• Team up with your peer institutions: Noble hosts events for multiple colleges in one night (see: Noble’s annual Junior College Fair), and we’ve seen a lot of success for both our students and universities through this. Partnering with other colleges and universities to travel together and create similar events is a great way for you to maximize your time and impact. Take a look at these examples to get a sense of what these partnerships could look like: SUCH, which includes Skidmore College, Union College, Colgate University, and Hamilton College (all liberal arts colleges in New York), and the Six Colleges (Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams Colleges).

• Lean on your high school partners: If you go to a diverse high school with a strong college-going culture and you’re not sure what other schools to visit, ask us! Most counselors would be able to connect you with a colleague at a similar school that would love to host you. For example, there are 16 other high schools in the Noble network— serving students from every zip code in Chicago— that I would love to recommend to you! I have also connected colleges with our Network Support Team to find ways to host a single event for all 17 Noble campuses (and you can use our buildings for free). This gives you an affordable space in the city near public transportation for your recruitment.