As Nelson Mandela once proclaimed, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Unfortunately, some students do not have the chance to take part in a college education. Not receiving a post-secondary education is a rising issue among those below the poverty line in the United States. In 2010, eighty-two percent of high income students continued their education into college; while in contrast, only fifty-two percent of students living in poverty had the opportunity to receive their college education. Poverty can be defined as having little to no money, goods, or means of support. Living below the line of poverty is an ongoing struggle for at least fifteen million young adults nation-wide, according to the Institute for Higher Education Policy. This accounts for at least forty-four percent of young adults. Currently, one person out of every four people living in poverty as an adult has earned their college degree; but somehow cannot escape the life of poverty, while eighteen percent of adults living in poverty dropped out of high school without even earning a GED or an equivalent degree (Low-Income). According to the New York State Department of Labor 2010 statistics, an individual with a Bachelor’s Degree will earn over fifty thousand dollars more per year than an individual who has only completed high school (Smith). Earning a college degree will not ensure escaping the life of poverty; however, it provides a solution to escape that lifestyle and gives an opportunity to move on to a more successful life that those living in poverty have only dreamed of. The Department of Education organized a longitudinal study to track eighth graders until they reached the age of twenty-six to study how they p... ... middle of paper ... ...get-fair-share-state-and-local-funds-department->. Roy, Joydeep. "Low Income Hinders College Attendance for Even the Highest Achieving Students." Epi.org. Economic Policy Institute, 12 Oct. 2005. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. . Skloot, Rebecca. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Crown, 2010. Print. Smith, Kara. "How Poverty Impacts Student Success in Higher Education." NYSUT.org. NYSUT, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. . Sparks, Sarah. "School Poverty - More Than Race - Affects Students' College-Going, Study Finds." Edweek.org. Education Week, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2014. .
African- American males have been underrepresented among college students and degree earners for years, however the reason for this is often misconstrued. The percentages of white high school graduates “In 1998-2000 had jumped to 46. However, only 40 percent of African-Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in the same age group were attending college” (McGlynn, Angela Proviteira). The question then to pose, is why minority students are not succeeding in college compared to Caucasian students, “Only 47% of Black male students graduated on time
A key to ending the cycle of poverty, is educational equity. In America today, public education is unequal racially and socioeconomically (Honda 11). Internationally, America is not excelling academically. When looking closely at American student’s Program for
Long ago, receiving education was once something only the rich could afford; it was a luxury. Nowadays it is open to everyone, but many students enter college only to discover that they are underprepared, and in turn they become disenchanted. David Leonhardt’s article, The College Dropout Boom, addresses the issues that are apparent in the education system and how it contributes to the gap between the upper and lower class while Access to Attainment by Abby Miller, Katherine Valle, Jennifer Engle, and Michelle Cooper calls to improve access to college education for today’s students. This is incredibly important because many students either drop out or never attended college and in today’s time, having a Bachelor’s degree has become a requirement
Due to the rising costs of tuition of college, children of parents who are impoverished, begin to be distanced from his or her chance of escaping poverty. With a college degree, someone who has remained in poverty can take the first beginning steps of bettering his or her life. In just four years, this person is able to obtain a higher
It’s considered a rarity now days to walk down a major city street and not come across a single person who is fighting to survive poverty. The constant question is why don’t they go get help, or what did they do to become like this? The question that should be asked is how will America fix this? Over the past year, Americans who completed high school earned fifteen point five percent more per hour than that of dropouts (Bernstein, Is Education the Cure to Poverty). According to Jared Bernstein, in his article “Is Education the Cure to Poverty”, he argues that not only do the poor need to receive a higher education, but to also maximize their skill levels to fill in where work is needed (Is Education the Cure to Poverty). Counter to Bernstein’s argument Robert Reich expresses that instead of attempting to achieve a higher education, high school seniors need to find another way into the American middle class. Reich goes on to say “the emerging economy will need platoons of technicians able to install, service, and repair all the high-tech machinery filling up hospitals, offices, and factories” (Reich, Why College Isn’t (and Shouldn’t Have to be) for Everyone). Danielle Paquette, though, offers an alternative view on higher education. Paquette gives view that it doesn’t matter on the person, rather it’s the type of school and amount of time in school that will determine a person’s
It’s no secret that “high priced real estate increases property taxes,” (Source G) and those taxes go on to fund public schools, bringing in more affluent families. Low-income students in these schools find themselves surrounded in an environment where “classmates expect them to go on to college,” (Source G) in turn making these students more academically engaged. In addition to the positive environment, low-income students who attend more affluent schools are given access to critical support when it comes to submitting applications to elite colleges. Unfortunately, the inverse of this is also true. Low-income students who attend poorly funded schools are not given the support they need to get themselves to a quality education. This is where the Dream fails, with “a whimper of elite school applications by poor kids.” (Source E) The reality of the situation is, Ivies and other top schools are the route to the top, and without proper support, low-income students have no chance getting there, all because of their zip code and the area in which they live not sufficiently funding public
For decades, the United States educational system has provided opportunity for millions of Americans to attend school. However, the gap between the lower income and middle-class students continue to narrow in terms of who will drop out and who would succeed. The articles I chose speak both of issues regarding education and inequality and the growing gap of educational success between the haves and the have nots. In addition, how race and lower class play a large factor on those who succeed and those who do not.The articles also bring to life possible factors such as funding towards a child’s education, in particular the early years, parent involvement and race.
George Washington Carver once stated that: “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” An education is the first step to a job, a salary, recognition, and a successful life. The greatest pride of a nation is not their military, nor their economy. It is the ability to say that their people are educated. Now, a higher education is so closely connected to the American Dream that it is nearly impossible to reach one without reaching the other. However, now access to that dream is fading to many. Over the last 35 years, a trend in rising tuition prices has brought college education out of the reach of many low and middle class families. Between the higher tuition costs and lower average salaries, families are often forced to choose between losing access to a higher education or being burdened with debt for the rest of their lives. In order to restore access to the basics right of American citizens, it is necessary to make education more accessible by making it
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. (2006).Black Student College Graduation Rates Remain Low, But Modest Progress Begins to Show. Retrieved from: http://www.jbhe.com/features/50_blackstudent_gradrates.html
Unfortunately for impoverished and minority students, this is where they fall short. According to Brookings.edu, Schools based in communities primarily composed of low-income and minority students have fewer necessary instructional resources. Students in these communities and social class tend to lack such materials as books, core curriculum, computers, and even quality teachers. Teachers working in schools servicing low-income and minority students are usually inexperienced or underqualified. In addition to this, these teachers are required to teach significantly larger class sizes. Many of these schools don’t even offer the necessary math and science classes needed to advance to college (Hammond). Completing college is also a challenge for individuals who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Just as in grammar schools and high schools, the quality of education within colleges need to improve. Relying on one’s own knowledge is the key in receiving upward mobility because of the financial obstacles associated with attending a University. The article “Economic Inequality and Higher Education”
Reardon, Sean F. "The Widening Academic Achievement Gap between the Rich and the Poor: New Evidence and Possible Explanations."Center for Education Policy Analysis at Stanford University. Stanford University, 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .
In the past decade, many college students have fallen into poverty. There’s a lot of issues that go beyond this topic, many people wouldn’t think College students could end up in poverty. Because, either those college students get scholarships or financial aid but, none of those could support a college student. I believe that there could be a more possible way for a college student to survive the college life and earn the degree they desire.
By attending college, students guarantees themselves a better job that the average Joe. Because the world is changing rapidly, and many jobs rely on new technology, more jobs require education beyond high school. With a college education, an individual will have more jobs from which to choose. In addition to obtaining a better job, people who go to college usually earn more money than those who do not. College furnishes you with proper credentials and documents to land high-level jobs. Figures from an A&E television program on ‘The Working Class’ show that in 2004 the average earnings were $23,895 for a high school graduate and $41,478 for individuals with a bachelor’s degree. Getting a college education is simply a stepping stone in ensuring yourself with a good start in life. Some may agree that college students are open minded and knows exactly how to expre...
Saporito, Salvatore, & Sohoni, Deenesh. "Mapping Educational Inequality: Concentrations of Poverty among Poor and Minority Students in Public Schools." Social Forces 85.3 (2007): 1227-53. Print.
Rumberger, R. W. (n.d.). Poverty and high school dropouts. http://www.apa.org. Retrieved February 20, 2014, from http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/indicator/2013/05/poverty-dropouts.aspx