A failure to provide resources for student parents—like childcare and transportation—could impede a disproportionate number of women of color, who are the most likely undergrads to have children, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research . Colleges that hope to see equity in the race and gender of their successful students require a firm understanding of the demographics and obligations of enrolled parents, according to Barbara Gault , the vice president and executive director of IWPR.

“The data show that students with children are less likely to persist and complete than other students,” Gault said. “Those childcare expenses can become a real burden and a challenge to their ability to succeed in school.”