75 to 9 (it should be a national scandal)

[dsc]

http://wunc.org/voices/considering-college/facts-about-access-to-higher-education

Low-income students in the Unites States are less likely to go to college today than high income students were 30 years ago. In other words, while more low income students go to college now, they still don't go at the rate high income students went a generation ago. Low income students have yet to "catch up" to the parents of their high income peers. In the 1970s, 40% of students from the highest income families earned a BA by the age of 24; only 6% of the lowest income students did. Now, 75% of the highest income kids earn a BA by 24; and only 9% of the lowest income kids do.
Read more on p. 5 here

end of quote

The definition of highest incomes is highest quartile and lowest income is lowest quartile. Thus the lowest 25% of income classes are eight times less likely to get a bachelor's degree by age 24 than the highest 25%. In the last 30 years are society has seen a net contraction of opportunity for its most vulnerable citizens. This should shame us all.

The greatest indicator of dying poor is being born poor. Our colleges are priced out of existance for not only the lowest quartile but the middle one as well. As a result we are falling in international rankings of the percentage of people with college degrees. Soon we will no longer have an educational edge over our competators. Think outsourcing is bad now, just wait. 75 to 9. We will be Burkino Faso with cable before long at that rate.

[terip64]

1. kick and recommend

[IndyOp]

2. Yep. The disparity is outrageous. Jim Webb's statement

last night about disparity that was just great: When he graduated, the average worker put in 20 days work to earn what the average CEO earned in one day. Now, the average worker must put in over one year (400 days) work to earn what the average CEO earns in one day.

Obscene.

[Solo_in_MD]

3. College is not for everyone, but advanced trade schools are ignored by the educrats.

For example, the requirements for electrical infrastructure (data, video as well as power) are skyrocketing. However, there will not be enough electricians to fill the void. Electricians by and large make more money than most college graduates with liberal arts degrees.Same with police, fireman, computer techs, masons etc. There is a clue here...

[raccoon]

9. Second that! Advanced trade schools, it seems, are ignored

by nearly everyone.

And as you said, they often make more money than college grads.

[piedmont]

12. I very much agree.

The belief that everyone in our society should be college-educated is wrong-headed. Teach critical thinking and useful trades to those who want to get out into the work-force instead of spending half their lives in school.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. Oh, I don't know.

I would expect that we would be more like Liberia, well before we became like Burkino Faso. Just with more dead people in our streets, especially in the well-groomed, high-ticket areas.

[jody]

5. Why do low-income students not go to college? n/t

[dsc]

6. a variety of factors

bad high schools, high tuition, need to make income immediately after high school are some of them.

[LosinIt]

8. Have you checked out college tuitions and R&B lately?

The prices have skyrocketed while financial aid has become extinct.

[Quantess]

13. Tuition is sky high. Even community college is getting expensive.

Take a look at tuition rates and you'll see what I mean.

[sodenoue]

7. I was priced out

It helped me realize the depth of the divide and the stretch between rich and poor, and that I was (am) definitely poor.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi sodenoue!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[darkstar7646]

11. Whaddya mean? They want to kill the poor...

... so the only option they have is to go into the army and die for the rich.