When comparing the opportunities of college students and their ability to continue towards graduation, what do you think are the most common themes that impact persistence? There are many studies that point to a variety of reasons, but maybe the challenge is a more practical one. Here is a different look at the last 25 years which show declining support from states that might be a leading factor in persistence for students from low- and middle-income families. Karin Fischer and Jack Stripling wrote that, “public colleges, once viewed as worthy of collective investment for the greater good, are increasingly treated as vehicles delivering a personal benefit to students, who ought to foot the bill themselves.” The real question is whether the American Dream that instills the belief that the harder you work, the greater the chance of success only applies to students who have the financial support to make it happen, and all others should just work harder?
References:
Fischer, K., & Stripling, J. (2014, March 02). An Era of Neglect. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/An-Era-of-Neglect/145045/