The majority of Americans, regardless of social class, expect the nation's colleges and universities to uphold the goal of upward social mobility. Many believe that these higher educational institutions should encourage anyone with ability and motivation to succeed. Though there are many factors that affect social mobility, such as the various opportunities that arise in terms of moving within different social classes in the United States; the pursuit of education has become a primary means of achieving upward social mobility (Reeves 2014). As the income gap continues to expand between the upper and lower classes, accessibility and success in higher education is becoming a distant dream for most. Numerous prestigious colleges and universities
Schools from lower social class backgrounds tend to stress more on expected beneficial outcomes of higher education than the students from higher social classes. Students from lower social class backgrounds tend to take their studies and schooling more seriously since they believe that doing so will bring improved jobs and career opportunities. They also believe that improved earnings and job security come along with that. Although some students, who come from the lower class, tend to focus more on school, this can easily be argued. Social class is a major determining factor of people’s life possibilities. Research shows that parent in the upper class participate more in a student’s educational career. Students with involved parents tend to earn higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, enroll in high-level programs, graduate and go on to a post-secondary education.
It is ingrained in the fabric of this great nation that education opens the door to success and is a prerequisite of social mobility; more precisely, higher education. The ideal that even the poorest of citizens can aspire to achieve greatness with hard work and talent, is the American Dream that is at the heart of every U.S. citizen. Despite his family’s humble means, President Barack Obama rose through the ranks of higher education to hold the highest office of the most powerful nation in the world. According to the Kellogg National Forum on Higher Education and the Public Good, recent polls suggest that 98% of U.S. citizens believe that all people, regardless of gender, race, social class or ethnicity should have equal opportunity to attend college (2003). Despite this, recent studies show that too few African Americans are offered socioeconomic privileges linked with college degree attainment (Harper, 2006; Perna et al., 2006). This association between higher education and income and the persistence of poverty among African Americans and other minorities affirms that increasing the participation of minorities in higher education is crucial to ensuring their full economic and social participation in society (Harper, 2006; Perna et al., 2006). This struggle for access to and success in higher education has been emblematic of a bigger battle for equality and personhood. The “holy grails” of education in general and higher education in particular have long embodied African American’s hopes and frustrations as they seek the “promised land” of freedom and opportunity.
The ties between social class and education are undoubtedly apparent and can be seen in the everyday lives of Americans. Despite the many cries for change and equality in schools, the division of classes maintains the economic infrastructure of our nation. Kozol, Anyon and Mantsios each focus on separate aspects of social class and education, but manage to tie in the same overall concept of equality being desirable yet not always attainable. The three authors do an excellent job of not only recognizing this relationship, but also portraying the evidence through statistics and first hand knowledge from the students themselves.
Social class has a large effect on the lifestyles of all Americans. But what does it really mean to be a part of the lower, middle or upper class? These divisions of social class are defined by aspects such as family income and lifestyle; however, education plays a large role in determining ones social class. That does not mean that it will determine success in ones life but to interpret, many people with a further education usually have a higher income as well. Those of the upper class have higher standards for education and career aspirations in contrast to those of the lower and middle class. Besides the differentiation of aspirations of the individuals of each social class, it is also used to determine who will go to college, depending on who can afford it or have no other priorities that can get in the way.
Today, the United States is still a racially segregated society. Getting into college is the first step in a student’s postsecondary educational journey, an academically strong start in college is the second because grades can either expand or limit opportunities for successfully completing a college degree . College students face many obstacles throughout their pursuit of higher education. Racial Segregation can affect college academic performance in a variety of ways. Segregation represents a major structural feature influencing success in college. Segregation experienced in childhood can influence later academic performance through a rage of channels. Segregation has other, more contemporaneous influences on academic performance. Massey
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...
With society's stress on the necessity to obtain a college education in order to get a well-paying job, be considered successful, and have a higher quality of life, everyone desires a degree and many try for one. However, the typical middle-class family cannot afford to attend college without taking on moderate amounts of debt, and largely depending on scholarships and grants to send themselves or their children. Lower-class families have an exceedingly difficult time getting a college degree, living in low-income neighborhoods with poor public schools does not produce the competitive ...
Imagine a brilliant high school child named Michael who has a high GPA and is enrolled in the honors and AP curriculum; he precipitates in multitudes of extracurricular activities including sports and clubs. He gets accepted to many schools and received many scholarships. However, even with financial aid, he and his family are economically deprived and therefore incapable in funding a college education. This scenario is not an imagination but a common event in modern day America. Fifty percent of eighteen to twenty-five year old adults who did not attend a higher education institution experienced a similar situation (Why). These people belong in a university, an establishment whose nature is to judge base on the intelligence not on the wealth of an individual.
Obtaining higher education is regarded as the ultimate symbol of status in the United States (US). Access to a college education in this country is seen as an expression of academic excellence and can provide access to unlimited possibilities. In the US, Ivy Leagues are considered the elite and represent the most powerful ideogram of educational opportunity. According to the National Center for Education Statistics [NCES] (2012), from 1999–2000 to 2009–10, the percentages of both master's and doctor's degrees earned by females increased from 1999–2000 to 2009–10 from 58 to 60 percent and from 45 to 52 percent. The NCES report (2012), found that in 2009-10, of the 10.3 percent Black students who earned Bachelor degrees; 65.9 percent were women. Of the 12.5% of Black students who earned Master’s degree in 2009-10, 71.1 percent were women; and of the 7.4 percent of Black students who earned doctoral level degrees (this includes most degrees previously regarded as first-professional, i.e. M.D., D.D.S., and law degrees), 65.2 percent were women (NCES, 2012)...