Huge chunks of Michigan—largely its rural counties—have no easy access to higher education. Lisa McIntyre, 28, lives in one of these education deserts. 

McIntyre works at a gas station. She once dreamed of becoming a nurse. That dream, she says, quickly faded because she lacked the transportation needed to seek training after high school.

More than 5 million Americans live in education deserts, lacking any college within a 30-minute drive. Few students go away to college, and poverty persists.

Higher education and national conversations in the wake of the Varsity Blues scandal have largely focused on the fairness of the admissions process and the extent to which wealthy families may use their resources to lower the bar of entry for their children.

While closing such loopholes is, and should be, a priority for higher education institutions, it is not the only way in which families’ financial resources unfairly influence students’ access to and experience of higher education. Achieving equity in higher education requires not only making the admission process fairer but also providing students with the financial support necessary to go to college and excel there.