Just 29 percent of the poorest students enroll in college, and only 9 percent ever graduate, according to a recent article in The Atlantic. Conversely, 80 percent of the wealthiest students enroll in college, and 54 percent finish.
Jim Cole, AP
Just 29 percent of the poorest students enroll in college, and only 9 percent ever graduate, according to a recent article in The Atlantic. Conversely, 80 percent of the wealthiest students enroll in college, and 54 percent finish.
It is often said that education is the best decision a person can make financially. But with the drastically different percentages of students who enroll and finish college shown above, the data shows that the U.S. higher education system may actually do more to perpetuate class divisions than bridge them. Students from higher-income families graduate college at a much higher percentage than students that come from lower-income families.
This trend may be the result of poor preparation of some students, but finances play a big role. The Atlantic concludes that “for Americans of a certain class, college is a basic rite of passage. For many more, it's a roll of the dice.”
Email: mhartvigsen@desnews.com
Read more about odds of graduating on The Atlantic.
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Studies have also found that the smart kids of poor parents are less likely to graduate from college than the stupid kids of rich parents. That's the real tragedy.
Studies like this, perpetuate class divisions.
Successful people shouldn't send their children to college, because it's unfair?
If poor people can create babies, then they can make it through college.
College education becomes a "class" issue only because we as the public tolerate expensive tuition at public colleges. Funding higher ed so that tuitions are affordable and financial aid for those who need it are available would largely More..