Vermont sits in the middle of the U.S. states when it comes to income, according to the World Population Review . So, why isn’t UVM accessible for Vermonters? While there has been a genuine decline in numbers of Vermonters graduating from high school since 2008, the 80% of students in the Vermont State Colleges System are in-state, according to a Sept. 28, 2015 article from the Burlington Free Press . In contrast, only about one-fourth of the UVM undergraduate population is from Vermont, according to data from College Simply . The same data shows only about 13% of students are considered low income. Clearly, the issue isn’t Vermont—it’s the lack of accessibility to UVM. It would be in UVM’s best interest to admit more in-state students. Having a high in-state population at universities is great for a number of reasons. First, when there are more in-state students, it shows that there is a clear liking and want for students to stay in the state they grew up in for some of the more formative years of their lives. It also demonstrates University support and encouragement towards its young citizens to take the opportunity that’s right in front of them […]