Richard D. Kahlenberg, editor
The Century Foundation
2004
This well-written book offers three chapters related to the under-representation of poorer students in American colleges and universities. In the first, Lawrence Gladieux examines the cost of higher education and argues for more need-based financial aid and less merit-based aid. He notes that poorer families often over-estimate the cost of college (and are thus needlessly deterred), and he thinks we need a return to funding strategies that attract students who would not attend at all "but for such aid." Gladieux's problem with today's aid programs is that they subsidize the middle class, who can already afford college. In the second essay, Michael Timpane and Arthur Hauptman stress that improving the readiness of low-income students is crucial to increasing their enrollment in post-secondary education. Among their many suggestions is a call to better align college entry requirements and high school standards (such as the Fordham-Achieve-Education Trust "American Diploma Project" is attempting; see www.achieve.org). They explain that "as higher education institutions and systems expanded, their governance at the state level was organized and carried on with little or no connection to the K-12 systems." Finally, Anthony Carnevale and Stephen Rose urge an expansion of economic affirmative action (building on their earlier paper, reviewed by the Gadfly last year; see http://www.edexcellence.net/gadfly/issue.cfm?issue=22#122). They argue that many low-income students who could succeed at top colleges don't attend, and that admissions decisions often show a bias toward high-income applicants - those who are legacies or whose families might become large donors. All three essays offer insights, data, and propositions that are sure to intrigue readers. For example, do you buy the argument that graduation rates might increase if more of the best prepared low-income students attended college? You can find a copy for $15 via the Century Foundation's website at http://www.centuryfoundation.org/4L/4LMain.asp?SubjectID=1&TopicID=1&ArticleID=428.
