Last year, some 700,000 seniors who opened Common App accounts never filed an application. Typically, those students tend to be lower-income, first-generation, and from minority backgrounds, Don Yu, the vice president of policy and advancement at the Common App, said.
ties back into the last two quotes/explanation from Coates
While piles of applications and an ultra-low acceptance rate are certainly marks of popularity, these things are in truth indications of a poorly designed system in need of long-overdue improvements.
This reminds me of Coates' "notes from the second year." Specifically the part where he says “College is often thought of as the line between the power to secure yourself and your family and the power of someone else securing you in a prison or grave. I was, by then, seemingly well beyond the grasp of streets.” (page 73) I feel like the author making the claim of a poorly designed system ties in perfectly with Coates' opinion of college and the ability to attend college as an African-American. It is the only way "beyond the streets", but as acceptance rates are lowering, the ability to go beyond is also lowering. and the ability to push past the stereotypes African Americans face with the continuation of discriminatory is also lowering. As Coates says “ “College dropout” means something different when you’re black.” (Page 73).