It’s almost that time of the year again… standardized testing. While many students spend countless hours on ACT and SAT practice problems, preparing for multiple practice tests and essays, other students just as capable suffer under the lack of opportunity. Living in the LT community, an affluent and somewhat privileged area, we reap the many benefits of our wealth. It is hard to think that a short 19 miles away, a student’s life is drastically different.  

Chicago, specifically the south-side, compared to the suburbs, suffers from a major economic gap, spanning millions of dollars. While wealthy students have the money to take the ACT and/or SAT multiple times outside of school for $49.50 and $49, respectively, and are able to hire a tutor if needed, some costing upwards of $1,000, most poor students have only one shot at either test: the one that is mandated by the state. As the Wall Street Journal reports, in 2014, students with a higher income outscored students in a lower income category on every section of the SAT test (math, reading and writing). As expected, similar outcomes are seen in the ACT.  

While these statistics may not come as a surprise to you, it is clear that low income students, defined as being in a household making $36,000 or less a year, perform remarkably lower on standardized test than more affluent students. For example, in the science portion of the ACT in 2009, 18 percent of low income students met the college readiness benchmark, compared to 66 percent in the high income category of $100,000 or more annually. 

Now, that’s not to say that these under privileged students do not aspire for greatness. According to the Huffington Post, 84 percent of low income students indicated that they wanted to receive a four year college education. However, those dreams are rarely made reality, with only 36 percent of those students enrolling in a four year college after high school. Clearly, the drive and determination is there, so what’s stopping them? 

Besides a lack of family income, these students are at an extreme disadvantage simply due to the high school they attend. Illinois spends 16.7 percent less on funding poorer school districts compared to the more affluent ones. This cycle of spending is hard to break due to the fact that the state relies on local property taxes to fund education. Poorer communities have lower taxes, resulting in less money contributed to schools and to their students. 

This problem is out of our control, so what can we do to help? I call you to embrace the charge, the work, the gruel hours of preparation. It’s those hours of work that will fully allow you to take advantage of the opportunity you are given by attending LT. So go on, complain about your ACT prep, complain about the long, what seems like everlasting, tests, because I doubt you’ll be complaining when you’re accepted to the college of your dreams.  

Know that students who work and dream just as hard as you will not have that same euphoric feeling just because of their wealth. Take advantage of your future, but be grateful for the work leading up to it.