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Socioeconomic status and academic achievement
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American society is based on the belief that, through hard work, dedication and initiative anyone can prosper. Since this optimistic ideology encourages equality through all walks of life, several individuals, from around the world, immigrate to the United States with hopes that their children, and future generations, will obtain a piece of this American Dream. However, few fail to grasp the reality that this ethos creates. Higher education is considered to be the most efficient way to achieve social mobility. Moreover, although receiving a certificate or associate 's degree is widely thought to be an achievement, many employers tend to reach out to individuals who have secured a bachelor’s degrees or higher. This well known fact has caused …show more content…
Students from richer upbringings are given more resources to ensure advancement in their academic career. “The Reproduction of Privilege” article states “... high school students from the upper start of middle class perform better on SAT and ACT tests than those from poor working class.” The upper strata students mentioned have the financial capabilities to pay for academic tutors, including SAT and ACT, and receive the necessary extra help. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, students from higher economic classes are also able to get assistance from their parents, who, most likely, have received a collegiate degree or higher. Furthermore, in terms of opportunities, richer students are more capable of securing a job, as teens, than their lower income counterparts. In the Harvard Graduate School of Education study, “Pathway to Prosperity” the author states “U.S employers complain that today’s young adults are not equipped with the skills they need to succeed…” Since America’s current secondary education tends to focus solely on college readiness, rather than essential workforce skills, many employers believe that young people aren 't equipped to enter the labor pool. However, the study also note that, as of 2010, white affluent teens make up 40.7% of employed teenagers. This fact is most likely a reflection of their parents economic and educational background. The higher one’s economic class and educational attainment, the more extensive that individual’s network. Since the teens mentioned come from an affluent environment, they have the capability to obtain connections through their parents, which ultimately allows them to receive the previously mentioned jobs and
Some say the American dream is completely dead in today’s society. No. The American dream is alive and well for those who will go the extra mile for it. People may believe it is dead due to factors that may “hinder” a person from achieving it. These factors include, but are not limited to, discrimination, lack of job opportunities, debt, natural disasters, etc. These theories may be proven wrong in most cases, with the exception of some. The American dream is the idea that anyone, no matter the situation they are currently in, can eventually live a happy and stable life in America. The dream is attainable for a willing individual, who will work hard for what they want. This does not mean it will be easy, nor does it mean
“We like to tell ourselves that America is the land of opportunity, but the reality doesn’t match the rhetoric - and hasn’t for awhile” (Matthew O’Brien 1). In today’s economic situations, dreaming big may seem unaffordable, but not impossible. To achieve this goal many aspects should be analyzed to understand the American dream, weakened retirement, and smart investments. Megan Cottrell states that “graduate from college. Get married. Buy a house. Have kids. Put in a few decades of hard work, and then it’s time to retire by 65. That’s the American Dream, right?” (1).
The term American Dream was initially set by James Truslow Adams in his book The Epic of American which was written in 1931. In the book, James Truslow Adams (1931) stated that the American Dream was a dream of having a land to stay; each person had a better, richer and more fulfilling life, and those who had the ability or achievement were always full of opportunities. In the video of the American Dream, it assumes that is also a belief that as long as the American do a hard struggle, they will be able to achieve the idea of a successful life. It’s suitable to say in the 21st century in some specific example but not all situation. (Citation) In addition, American Dream existed long before the words created. In the colonial period, the immigrants
In the novel Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck shows American dream as an unreachable goal for the characters. Of Mice and Men is a novel based on two childhood friends, Lennie and George, who travel together in search of work. Lennie, the gentle giant, has a mental disability and an obsession of petting soft objects. One day, while stroking a girl’s hair, Lennie accidently kills her. And eventually by the end of the novel, George is forced to shoot Lennie. Steinbeck shows American Dream as an unreachable goal because of a character’s standing in the society, their dreams to be unreal and their dependency on other characters.
Everyone grows up with the thought of an American dream in mind . Unfortunately that American dream is only limited to the people who are not of color. Sadly the people of color and the american dream don 't match up to well. I feel that this is because it can’t be easily obtained due to improper education and never being given the opportunity to show what they’re made of. Maybe if we weren 't categorized by our living arrangements, or the amount of our wealth, or better yet being presumed as these incompetent animals who aren’t good for nothing. Then we too would be able to achieve our own american dreams ,but as people of color the chances of that are not likely living in a world that feeds us with this improper mindset.
A minority student is generally classified as belonging to a lower-income family than the average white American, who is classified by earning a higher income. A student belonging to a low-income family will not have the same opportunities as a student from a high-income background. A student from a high-income family will be able to afford more study aids and supplies. A student from a low-income family, generally a minority, does not have access to these resources. Because they frequently cannot afford the same materials as their white counterparts, they generally do not perform as strongly on standardized tests. Wealthy families are generally very well educated. They have greater knowledge of how to guide their children in the right direction for academic success. Some can afford a private school with better teachers and a more comfortable learning environment. Paying for college is easier, and academics often take greater priority in these well-to-do households. Usually, poorer families have a harder time paying for college and supporting their children. Schools in low-income areas tend to lack funding for good teachers and supplies because of their financial situation. More often than not, the main goal of these families is to have their children get through high school so that they can begin ea...
During the twenties, there was this romanticized idea that with a lot of wealth and possessions came a lot of happiness, otherwise known as the American Dream. The American Dream not only flourished during this time, but redefined itself. It went from people wanting to be able to sustain themselves and have land, to having exuberant amounts of money and a happy healthy family. But how were people supposed to achieve this? The minimal amounts of people who did achieve this dream, achieved it through illegal activity. We see this idea in the Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gatsby was not only a young, wealthy man, but a bootlegger. But there were also those who couldn’t achieve it due to their place in society. The vision of the American Dream was perceived to happen with hard work and persistence; however, it was mobsters who got the money with little effort and the poor and African Americans who worked hard to make ends meet with little left over.
The ‘American Dream’ means different things to each individual. What the ‘American Dream’ means to me is that I’m an American citizen who is free to do as I please under certain circumstances of course. I understand that many people have troubles trying to achieve this ‘American Dream’ though. If you look at the illegal immigrant problem, they have problems achieving this American Dream. I know that to get into the United States of America, you have to take a test, along with years of being in the system until you’re picked. You also cannot be a criminal and either you come here to work or you come here to stay; it costs quite a bit as well to achieve this dream. In my opinion it makes me mad when people come here illegally and claim that they
Since the very first steps taken on American soil people have dreamt of pursuing the American dream. What is the American dream? Many people believe that the American dream shouldn’t be defined in one simple sentence. To some people the American dream means getting a new car and to others a new home, but for many Americans it has a deeper meaning. As we have seen equality has been a struggle from the beginning; but it has led to liberty in other places.
In her article she points out how social class has become the main gateway to opportunity in America. The widening academic divide means that kids who grow up poor will most likely stay poor and the kids who grow up rich will most likely stay rich. About fifty years ago the main concern about getting a good education relied on your race but now it's about your social class. Researchers are starting to believe that children who come from higher income families tend to do better in school and get higher test scores.
People usually do not have a concrete plan for their future, so they do not know what direction they are going to take; it is so difficult for people to set themselves up for success when they have no real support system put in place. They often have negative people around them that will bring them down, too, which will lead to a lack of motivation, and this will set them up for failure, especially when they set goals that are not clear enough or realistic. People are usually not motivated or disciplined enough, use too many excuses, and get overwhelmed by obstacles, causing them to fail.
The American Dream. What is it exactly? Well, it is the ideal that every U.S. citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. However, can everyone really achieve it? Yes, anyone can achieve the American Dream with enough hard work and dedication to pursue a good life. In order to maintain the American Dream there are some important ways to achieve it. Such as: a strong work ethic, a good education, and being determined.
The American Dream The American dream has always been a talk amongst the American culture. When people speak of it, they often think back to the 19th century. The American Dream can be thought about when learning information on the Declaration of Independence which states that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”. This was written by Thomas Jefferson.
When thinking about freedom many thoughts come to mind. However, freedom is just a broad statement in something even bigger. The American Dream, not just the hope of freedom, but also equality, happiness, and certain key rights that every person should be entitled to. It’s because of all these factors that make The American Dream not so much a reality. It’s difficult to see equality when thinking about local asylum seekers, disputes over same sex marriage and the lack of education for women all around the world.
The American Dream has existed for hundreds of years, but there are those who doubt America still provides the American Dream. To many the American Dream means having an equal opportunity to prosper through hard work, willpower, and action. Even though there are some that believe America no longer has the same chances that people used to use to achieve the American Dream, those who have succeeded in grasping the American Dream means they do not have to worry about finances or their loved one's future. America still provides the America Dream by giving all children K-12 free education, ways Americans have attained the American Dreams, and be individuals. Education is key to attain a well paying job and “a college degree is a necessity”