Posted on by arotherham

Economic Diversity, Or Lack Thereof

Important look at economic diversity at elite colleges from David Leonhardt:

For all of the other ways that top colleges had become diverse, their student bodies remained shockingly affluent. At the University of Michigan, more entering freshmen in 2003 came from families earning at least $200,000 a year than came from the entire bottom half of the income distribution. At some private colleges, the numbers were even more extreme.

2 Replies to “Economic Diversity, Or Lack Thereof”

  1. Does this surprise anyone? Almost all affirmative action policies have been aimed at getting (mostly middle and upper-middle class) minority students into top colleges. Low-income students (of any race/ethnicity) continue to struggle getting into college and staying in college. I’ve often spoken up in favor of the idea of affirmative action aimed at talented, low-economic students.

  2. Discrimination continues to exist but it is sometimes hidden. It is unfortunate that those who really need to enter college (low income students and middle class students) are the ones that struggle to get in. The wealthy continue to get wealthy and the lower class continue to struggle. It may take another decade for true equality to exist.

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