Blog #9-Alex Plummer

                        The following article highlights the vast inequalities that occur between affluent and less-privileged university students. The author states that large state universities have failed to create social mobility and put too much emphasis on students who come from more privileged backgrounds. Research conducted for the book, “Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality,” followed 53 women at the start and end of their college career.  Few of the women from less-privileged backgrounds realized their dreams of mobility, while the majority from privileged backgrounds remained ready to reproduce their parent’s wealth. This article is quite relevant to our studies of education this week and reflects a major societal problem. This major issue reflects the alleged benefits and success, provided and promised to individuals through a college experience. The university under discussion in this article supported a strong party pathway, a social and academic infrastructure with a powerful Greek party scene. Said pathway adapted to the interests of socially oriented and out-of-state students. These out-of-state students were the major segment the university catered too because of their affluent background. This one view of a single university reflects the large occurrence of massive cuts to state and federal funding all over the nation. Many large state universities have been force to raise tuition and recruit students from out-of-state who can pay. The authors of the book previously mentioned, suggest eliminating the Greek system in schools and empowering other student groups. This could potentially increase student mobility for first-generation students and minorities. Income inequality is increasingly affecting numerous aspects of people’s lives. Personal betterment through higher education is becoming harder to accomplish. Even though there are scholarships and resources such as financial aid to assist low-income families, once students graduate they are riddled with debt and face a difficult job market. Due to these factors many young adults are all together losing interest in attending or finishing college.

http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2013/04/09/2933969/book-featuring-uc-merced-examines.html