Public Universities Ramp Up Aid for the Wealthy, Leaving the Poor Behind

[marmar]

Public Universities Ramp Up Aid for the Wealthy, Leaving the Poor Behind

by Marian Wang
ProPublica, Sep. 11, 2013, 12 a.m.


This story was co-published with The Chronicle of Higher Education.


Shauniqua Epps was the sort of student that so many colleges say they want.

She was a high achiever, graduating from high school with a 3.8 GPA and ranking among the top students in her class. She served as secretary, then president, of the student government. She played varsity basketball and softball. Her high-school guidance counselor, in a letter of recommendation, wrote that Epps was “an unusual young lady” with “both drive and determination.”

Epps, 19, was also needy.

Her family lives in subsidized housing in South Philadelphia, and her father died when she was in third grade. Her mother is on Social Security disability, which provides the family $698 a month, records show. Neither of her parents finished high school. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.propublica.org/article/how-state-schools-ramp-up-aid-for-the-wealthy-leaving-the-poor-behind

[ForgoTheConsequence]

1. Interesting (depressing read)

Thank you for posting it.

“When public [universities] come to us individually now, they won’t admit it, but they’re all looking for the same thing — smart students who can pay,” said an industry consultant who asked not to be named.

It's getting harder and harder to work your way up in this country and that girl did everything right.

[Stargazer99]

2. Work hard, do what you supposed to do

and if you are poor you are screwed, American values? shame on this country

[riderinthestorm]

3. Its completely discriminatory just because these kids are poor!

"Unless policymakers build in some incentives to take on more students at the margins, the accountability movement could drive schools further away from low-income and minority populations, which have lower graduation rates overall, Carnevale said. “The whole logic of this industry — and the reform of it as well — excludes low-income and minority students.”

While colleges strive to enroll wealthier and better-performing students, the demographics of the nation’s high-school graduates are moving in a different direction: As a group, tomorrow’s high-school graduates will be more racially diverse and more low-income than today’s.

“There is a significant misalignment. And I think the misalignment’s going to continue to grow,” said David Tandberg, an assistant professor of higher education at Florida State University who previously worked in the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

http://www.propublica.org/article/how-state-schools-ramp-up-aid-for-the-wealthy-leaving-the-poor-behind

From the article again...

A more educated workforce has widespread benefits: It leads to more earning power for those who graduate, a stronger tax base for the state, and greater potential for economic growth in the future.

But of course we can't have THAT now can we! The 1% have to find ever more ways to hold the masses down.