About this episode:
Engaging more first-gen students in college and improving their graduation rates are key to increasing the social mobility of future generations of Americans. This episode examines the journeys of three first-gen higher education students: Jake Pacansky, a 78-year old retired research chemist with a Ph.D., and Ariana Borroto and Demetri Williams, two community college students with plans to transfer to a 4-year university.
Resources for this episode:
Azziz, R, (2016, Oct 6). Why engaging more first gen students in higher education matters. Huffington Post.
California State University, (2016). 2016 Factbook.
California State University, (2016). Graduation Initiative.
Carnevale, A. P., Smith, H, & Strohl, J. (2013). Recovery: Job growth and education requirements through 2020. Georgetown Public Policy Institute.
Engle, J. & Tinto, V. (2008). Moving beyond access: College success for low-income, first-generation students. The Pell Institute.
National Center for Education Statistics, (2014). Digest of Education Statistics. Total fall enrollment of first-time degree/certificate-seeking students in degree-granting postsecondary institutions.
Venator, J. & Reeves, R. V. (2015, Feb 6). Three reasons college matters for social mobility. Brookings.
A college degree is not always the answer to upward mobility. The cost of higher education, to me, contributes only a fraction to the problem of low college degree completion rates. Not having grit/passion is the biggest contributor to the problem. The president of our company is a college drop out, but because he was passionate and have grit he was able to drive success to his companies. I have a college degree myself but when I was in college, I was working full time to pay for my college expenses. Same for my siblings. My parents thought us to be independent and to work hard in achieving what we want in life. They thought us nothing in life is free.
A no cost education will not solve the problem, IN MY OPINION, offering the education free diminishes the desire of having a college degree, which is simple economics.