Among the people working in the drug business in Brazil's favelas, there are those who once dreamed of being an airline pilot, an astronaut, a teacher or a writer but, as they say around here, took the wrong path. Now, their dream is a house of their own and a stable source of income away from crime. A luxury car or motorbike are also on their wish list.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, homicide rates have risen meaningfully in the United States. The annual number of reported homicides between 2014 and 2019 ranged from 15,775 to 19,393 nationwide, according to the National Center for Health Statistics . Over that period, the average homicide rate in the U.S. was 5.6 incidents for every 100,000 people. Between 2020 and 2023, however, the homicide rate surged to 7.3 per 100,000, with at least 22,800 reported homicides each year.
Standardized test scores and GPAs never tell the whole story. Median family income, access to Advanced Placement courses, local crime rates and other key indicators help admissions officers see the full picture and provide crucial context to help identify high-achieving students from disadvantaged communities. These are students whom universities might otherwise overlook. Tools that give context level the playing field-not by lowering standards, but by lifting students up according to their merit and the obstacles they have overcome.