>>> HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS AND PARENTS ARE NAVIGATING A NEW LANDSCAPE WHILE PREPARING THE COLLEGE APPLICATIONS.

THAT IS IN LIGHT OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION ENDING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

WHILE THOSE CONSIDERATIONS BEGIN WITH GETTING ADMITTED, THERE ALSO CONSIDERING QUESTIONS OF THE INSTITUTION'S ONGOING COMMITMENT.

JOINING ME NOW IS JEFFREY BECKHAM, KEVIN KREBS , AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOTTOM LINE CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

LET'S START WITH YOU, JEFFREY.

DOES THIS AFFECT THE ADVICE THAT YOU OFFER TO STUDENTS?

>> NOT IMMEDIATELY.

WE ARE TRYING TO GET IT ON HOLD AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN TALKING TO OUR COLLEGE PARTNERS AND TELLING KIDS TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE HIGHEST LEVEL SCHOOL THAT THEY CAN.

TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND REALIZE THAT THEY ARE THE CUSTOMERS AND THEY HOLD THE POWER IN THE DECISIONS THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE.

>> DO GET THE SENSE THAT THEY FEEL DIFFERENTLY?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THEY FEEL DIFFERENTLY.

SOME PARENTS ARE WORRIED AND CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

WE THINK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THIS AND WILL ELIMINATE SCHOLARSHIPS.

WE'VE HEARD MORE FROM PARENTS THAN STUDENTS.

I THINK STUDENTS ARE STARTING TO BUBBLE UP.

YOU SEE SOME ANXIETY ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

>> HAS YOUR ADVICE ON APPLICATIONS CHANGED?

>> 100%.

EVERY STUDENT HAS THE ABILITY TO SHAPE THEIR STORY AND THEIR APPLICATION AND ESSAYS AND TELL IT IN A VERY AUTHENTIC WAY.

FOR A LOT OF APPLICANTS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS, HOW COLLEGES WILL EVALUATE THEM, AND MAYBE IT WILL CHANGE BUT I THINK THE EARLIER THEY GET THE ADVICE ON HOW TO HANDLE THIS AND TALK ABOUT THEIR FAMILY BACKGROUNDS AND THE ADVERSITIES THEY HAD OVERCOME, THE ESSAYS AND APPLICATIONS AND THE DEMONSTRATED INTEREST OF VISITING COLLEGES AND TALKING TO REPS ARE WAYS THAT THESE STUDENTS CAN TAKE CONTROLS.

>> A FINE LINE.

NOT ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE ABILITY TO VISIT SCHOOLS, AND MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR BACKGROUND TO BE PART OF THIS.

>> IT IS ABOUT AUTHENTICITY.

YOU HAVE TO BE TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE, BUT THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO VISIT SCHOOLS, YOU CAN DO A VIRTUAL TOUR.

EACH INSTITUTION OVERSEES CHICAGO OR WHATEVER PART OF THE COUNTRY LIVE IN.

KIDS NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW THE PROCESS WORKS.

COMING FROM A CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL BACKGROUND, YOU DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT RESOURCES, OR IN MY FAMILY SITUATION, MAYBE HER PARENTS DID NOT GO TO COLLEGE.

SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS SHARE A LOT OF FREE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION TO ELEVATE THE BASELINE UNDERSTANDING SO KIDS HAVE A BETTER LEG UP WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR APPLICATIONS.

>> SHOULD THIS CHANGE WHICH INSTITUTIONS STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERING WHEN THEY DECIDE WHERE TO APPLY?

>> I WILL BUILD ON A FEW THINGS THAT OF BEEN TOUCHED ON.

THE STUDENT IS THE CONSUMER AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM IN ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST IS WHERE DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE COLLEGE COMMUNITY IS EMBRACING WHO YOU ARE AND THE IDENTITY MARKERS THAT YOU HOLD.

FOR US THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS AND GIVING STUDENTS THE INFORMATION THEY NEED TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT WHAT COLLEGE STARTED TO EMBRACE THINKING ABOUT DIVERSITY, BUT HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THAT IN DEVELOPING STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH COLLEGES THAT LEAD IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

>> ARE COLLEGES RESPONDING TO THIS DECISION?

>> I DID A QUICK TOUR BEFORE THIS CAME DOWN THE PIPELINE.

SCHOOLS ARE IN STATES THAT THEY'VE ALREADY ELIMINATE THIS.

THEY ARE TRYING TO BE BETTER AND BETTER PARTNERS.

AND THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR DEMOGRAPHICS ARE RACIALLY DIVERSE.

>> SOME PROMINENT UNIVERSITIES HAVE ANNOUNCED THEY ARE PLANNING TO AND LEGACY ADMISSIONS.

DO THINK IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

>> THAT IS THE GOAL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A TOTAL LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN HIGHER EDUCATION THAT MAKES THIS PROCESS CONFUSING FOR A LOT OF FAMILIES.

IF WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE ARE PLAYING AGAINST, THEN IT WILL EQUAL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR A LOT OF US.

AND I THINK FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR, BLACK STUDENTS, I THINK IF THERE FEWER LEGACY SPOTS, IT WILL OPEN UP MORE SEATS AT THE TABLE, AND I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION.

YOU HAD MIT AND CARNEGIE MELLON AND SOME IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS -- NORTHWESTERN HAS BROUGHT THAT DOWN.

HOPEFULLY, THAT CONTINUES.

>> COULD THE DECISION CHANGE ANYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE?

AND THE IMPACT IT MAY HAVE ON SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES?

>> WE HOPE NOT, BUT WE WILL HAVE TO SEE.

TIME WILL TELL.

AFFORDABILITY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR JOURNEY WITH STUDENTS.

WE WANT TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THE TRUE COST IS, AND MANY INSTITUTIONS ARE GOOD AT OFFERING A LOT OF FINANCIAL AID.

NOT JUST IN THE FORM OF SCHOLARSHIPS, BUT HELPING THEM PUT TOGETHER FEDERAL AID OR STATE BASED AND HELPS MAKES THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AFFORDABLE.

>> WHAT SHOULD PARENTS AND STUDENTS LOOK FOR AT INSTITUTIONS THAT PROVE THAT THIS SCHOOL IS COMMITTED TO A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY?

>> WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THERE IS A POINT OF CONTACT.

A PERSON THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU CAN GO TO NOT JUST IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS.

BUT SOMEBODY THAT IS A PHYSICAL PERSON ON CAMPUS.

WE ALSO TELL THEM TO MAKE SURE THEY TALKED OTHER STUDENTS.

WE USUALLY HAVE A STUDENT ON CAMPUS WERE SOMEBODY THERE THEY CAN TALK TO WHO COMES FROM A SIMILAR BACKGROUND.

WE TELL THEM TO ASK ALL THE QUESTIONS, SHOW UP, BE PRESENT IF YOU CAN.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DAYS WHERE YOU CAN GET A FEEL FOR WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS NOT.

>> WHAT WOULD YOU SAY PARENTS AND STUDENTS SHOULD LOOK FOR TO BE CERTAIN THAT THAT SCHOOL IS INTERESTED IN DIVERSITY?

>> PLAYING OFF OF WHAT YOU SAID, IT'S NOT JUST GETTING IN.

BUT WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR ME WHEN I GET THERE.

WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORT SERVICES.

IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THAT KIND OF AN ENVIRONMENT AND YOU ARE THE ONE, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU ARE THE ONE.

AND YOU JUST WANT TO BE THERE AND LEARN.

WHAT KINDS OF SUPPORT SERVICES EITHER.

AND IF YOU WANT TO BE THE ACTIVE VOICE, THAT IS GREAT.

BUT FOR A LOT OF KIDS, THIS IS A TOTALLY FOREIGN ENVIRONMENT.

WE NEED TO HOLD HER HAND AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL SO THEY COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF GOING TO COLLEGE SO YOU ARE PREPARED FOR YOUR FUTURE.

>> TIPS FOR APPLICATION ESSAYS.

WHAT SHOULD THEY INCLUDE?

>> IT STARTS WITH THE EARLIER YOU CAN GET TO STUDENTS, THE BETTER.

THINGS LIKE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES, JOBS, THINGS YOU HAD TO OVERCOME IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

THESE A WAY TO AUTHENTICALLY SHARE YOUR STORY THAT COLLEGES CAN RELATE TO.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE THE PERSON.

>> WHAT ARE RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS THAT WOULD HELP NAVIGATE THIS?

>> BOTTOM LINE IS ONE GREAT RESOURCE.

WE ARE RECRUITING STUDENTS TO JOIN OUR HIGH SCHOOL ACCESS PROGRAM.

AND ALSO ABOUT ONCE STUDENTS ARE IN COLLEGE, WE WORK FOR STUDENTS UP TO SIX YEARS.

THOSE ARE ENROLLING STUDENTS AND WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANY STUDENTS THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE OR ASPIRING TO GO TO COLLEGE TO JOIN OUR PROGRAM.