What are the barriers students of color face when navigating postsecondary pathways?

• A. Excessive availability of financial aid information
• B. Lack of access to college admission information, affordability challenges, and unwelcoming campus climates
• C. Overrepresentation of students of color in selective universities
• D. Guaranteed access to college resources for first-generation students

Answer: (C)

Facing postsecondary pathways, students of color encounter barriers rooted in unequal access to information, affordability challenges, and unwelcoming campus climates. When reliable guidance about admissions, financial aid, and supported pathways isn’t readily available, students can miss deadlines, misjudge costs, or not know about scholarships and aid options. Affordability isn’t just tuition; it includes understanding FAFSA and aid packages, navigating eligibility, and managing the out-of-pocket costs after enrollment. Campus environments that feel unwelcoming or hostile—through bias, lack of representation, or limited supportive services—undermine belonging and persistence, making college less reachable or harder to complete.

Other statements don’t reflect the real barriers: having too much financial aid information would reduce obstacles, not create them; overrepresentation in selective universities isn’t a barrier in itself and can reflect different systemic dynamics; and guaranteed access to resources is not typically the reality for first-generation students or students of color.