III 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 846 

Designating November 2022 as ‘‘National College Application Month’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 17, 2022 

Mr. COONS (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina, Mr. KING, Ms. ERNST, 

Mr. VAN HOLLEN, and Mr. CARPER) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating November 2022 as ‘‘National College 

Application Month’’. 

Whereas equality of opportunity for all people is one of the 

noblest aspirations of the United States; 

Whereas data on the benefits of higher education demonstrates that, while disparities to access and student 

success persist, postsecondary education can still provide 

pathways to economic opportunity; 

Whereas the United States built a thriving middle class by 

providing students with postsecondary opportunities that 

lead to individual economic opportunity and shared economic growth; 

Whereas higher education enhances the economic mobility of 

individuals, which is evidenced by— 


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•SRES 846 ATS 

(1) a finding by the Brookings Institute that the 

median lifetime earnings of holders of an associate degree 

are uniformly greater than the median lifetime earnings 

of holders of solely a high school diploma; and 

(2) a finding by the Pew Economic Mobility Project 

that, for an individual born in the lowest income quintile, 

obtaining a 4-year degree or a higher degree is associated 

with— 

(A) greater likelihoods of economic mobility 

compared to individuals who do not earn such degrees; and 

(B) a greater than threefold difference in the 

probability of that individual going on to earn an income in the highest income quintile; 

Whereas the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that— 

(1) the unemployment rate of high school graduates 

in 2021 who did not immediately matriculate to an institution of higher education the following fall semester was 

21.6 percent, 6 times higher than the overall unemployment rate of the United States; 

(2) approximately 38 percent of high school graduates in 2021 did not immediately matriculate to an institution of higher education the following fall semester, 

which represents a 0.9 percentage point decline from the 

prior year, and a 7.3 percentage point decline from 2018; 

(3) the decline described in paragraph (2) was most 

notable among male high school graduates, who faced a 

12-percent decline from 2018 in immediate matriculation 

to an institution of higher education; and 

(4) the unemployment rate of adults with a bachelor’s degree is approximately half the unemployment 

rate of adults whose highest credential is a high school 


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diploma, a gap that has grown larger as a result of 

COVID–19; 

Whereas the National Student Clearinghouse reports that undergraduate enrollment in colleges and universities continues to decline precipitously even as the United States 

recovers from the COVID–19 pandemic, particularly for 

nontraditional students; 

Whereas the complexity of financial aid systems and rising 

college costs can serve as additional deterrents or barriers 

for students and families as they assess the viability of 

higher education programs as a postsecondary option; 

Whereas many students struggle to identify and compare 

postsecondary options due to— 

(1) difficulties accessing school counseling services, 

which is evidenced by an estimation of the American 

School Counselor Association that the student-to-counselor ratio in the United States is 415 to 1; 

(2) an absence of reliable programmatic and institutional outcome data; and 

(3) a lack of comparable and understandable college 

financial aid offers; 

Whereas, in addition to expanding outreach and support to 

recent high school graduates, colleges and universities 

must also expand outreach and support to all undergraduate students; 

Whereas applications for State-based financial aid are available in many States for students who do not qualify for 

Federal student aid; and 

Whereas the ongoing impact of the COVID–19 pandemic on 

communities, families, and educational systems across the 

United States underscores and reinforces the value of enVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:04 Nov 18, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR846.ATS SR846

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suring that all individuals, including students enrolled in 

high school and working adults— 

(1) understand their postsecondary options; 

(2) understand college financing opportunities; and 

(3) have support to navigate the college application 

and financial aid processes: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates November 2022 as ‘‘National 

3 College Application Month’’; 

4 (2) encourages the people of the United States 

5 to— 

6 (A) evaluate options for pursuing higher 

7 education; 

8 (B) submit a Free Application for Federal 

9 Student Aid or an appropriate application for 

10 State-based financial aid in order to receive col11 lege financing opportunities; and 

12 (C) support every student, regardless of 

13 the background, age, or resources of the stu14 dent, in obtaining the skills and knowledge 

15 needed to thrive; 

16 (3) supports efforts to better assist low-income 

17 and first-generation college students throughout the 

18 financial aid and college application process; 

19 (4) urges public officials, educators, parents, 

20 students, and communities in the United States to 

21 observe National College Application Month with apVerDate Sep 11 2014 16:04 Nov 18, 2022 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR846.ATS SR846

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1 propriate activities and programs designed to en2 courage students to consider, research, and apply to 

3 college and for financial aid; and 

4 (5) commends teachers, counselors, mentors, 

5 and parents who support students throughout the 

6 college application process, as well as the organiza7 tions and institutions partnering to eliminate bar8 riers to higher education. 

Æ 


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