Wayne State University attracts thousands of students from metro Detroit and from outstate but the number of students enrolled in its own backyard, Detroit public schools, has hovered for years around 1% of the campus population.
A new program aims to change that.
Warriors on the Rise, a program announced in September, offers guaranteed enrollment to qualified high school juniors at Detroit Public Schools Community District and other benefits like mentorship and free or discounted tickets to campus events.
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For educators, the program is critical since Detroit students from disadvantaged backgrounds face numerous barriers to college access.
“Prior research has shown that clarity and certainty about the college admissions and financial aid process are important determinants of student enrollment in college,” said Brian Jacob, a University of Michigan education professor. “To the extent that WSU guarantees admissions to high school students, this can only help boost enrollment.”
The purpose of Warriors on the Rise is to expand access to higher education for Detroit students and provide resources and exposure to the collegiate experience, said Charles Cotton III, vice provost of strategic enrollment management at Wayne State.
“One of the main reasons that this just felt right and timely is that we already provide an amazing tuition guarantee for our residents of Detroit and Detroit high school students,” he said. “This takes things a step further as it matches our financial support for these students with additional college prep, additional collegiate exposure and affirmation that not only will the cost be mitigated, but that you are eligible, that you are worthy, that this is an opportunity for you. The students have these amazing opportunities at a research institution in their own backyard.”
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Robin Jacob, a professor at the Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, said Warriors on the Rise is a step in the right direction and elevates Wayne State as a possible path for many DPSCD students.
Jacob is the co-founder and faculty co-director of UM’s Youth Policy Lab, a research center that develops evidence-based, policy-relevant research in partnership with local and state agencies, practitioners, and policymakers. In 2021, Jacob co-authored a report titled “Detroit Students’ College Pathways and Outcomes.” The report found that while many Detroit high schools offer college-supportive resources, the majority of graduates are not college-ready. Additionally, students report financial concerns, lack of transportation and family responsibilities as other obstacles to enrolling and staying in college. Jacob said those factors are most likely why Wayne State’s enrollment rates are so low.
“I don’t know to what degree it will increase enrollment,” Jacob said about the program. “Getting students to enroll is only part of it, right? You have to encourage students to enroll, but then provide them the support to help them graduate and there are a lot of factors that play into that piece of it as well. But anything that we can do to sort of reduce the number of barriers is a positive thing.”
