Brookings Institution Glass Ceiling Report Says Colleges Should Admit More Poor Kids

[Anonymous]

The Brookings Institution today published a report advocating that colleges and universities, especially the elite universities, would do more to promote upward mobility in American society if they admitted more "bright, motivated students" from among the lower socio-economic classes than by admitting marginal students who are coming from the higher socio - economic classes.

I agree. More should be done to make America a true meritocracy, where the best and the brightest get into the best schools regardless of their ability to pay. What would we need to do as a society to make this happen?

You can read the report here. http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/11/glass-floor-downward-mobility-equality-opportunity-hoarding-reeves-howard?utm_campaign=brookings-comm&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=10890731&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_EAZm_4dY9WByT5NuDOWmHsYKVA4xjGMx-1Ahq4F9buhTdyA7exWVvU7l94OwSJhkEYcZPmgrA9jCmBpqDnjhynhzvRqVnnCsbpHpy23ifzd6oBI0&_hsmi=10890731

[Anonymous]

will you pay for it?

[Anonymous]

Why is it we have to have a society where the poor will stay poor and the rich will strive to do everything in their power to keep them there? This is not the American I grew up in. We used to believe in giving everyone an even chance. Now, we are all about "I got mine and I'm keeping it!" It is a sad commentary on the greatness we have lost.

We here all this talk about American "exceptionalism." What made America exceptional was our great and ever expanding middle class. It seems we have abandoned this idea, and we are allowing corporations and the rich to dictate to the rest of us how our country should be. This is wrong. I cry about it every day. I feel we are a lost cause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why is it we have to have a society where the poor will stay poor and the rich will strive to do everything in their power to keep them there? This is not the American I grew up in. We used to believe in giving everyone an even chance. Now, we are all about "I got mine and I'm keeping it!" It is a sad commentary on the greatness we have lost.

We here all this talk about American "exceptionalism." What made America exceptional was our great and ever expanding middle class. It seems we have abandoned this idea, and we are allowing corporations and the rich to dictate to the rest of us how our country should be. This is wrong. I cry about it every day. I feel we are a lost cause.

America has always had more social mobility than any other society in the world - but social mobility and the "freedom to fail" are related. Societies that enact polices that lessen the incentive to succeed while minimizing the cost of not working hard tend to become stratified. Sadly, the groups we sought to help through enlighten social polies such as "affirmative action" have not followed the path of other groups that moved up the ladder without the benefit of such policies. A culture of personal responsibility is the biggest contributor to social mobility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it we have to have a society where the poor will stay poor and the rich will strive to do everything in their power to keep them there? This is not the American I grew up in. We used to believe in giving everyone an even chance. Now, we are all about "I got mine and I'm keeping it!" It is a sad commentary on the greatness we have lost.

We here all this talk about American "exceptionalism." What made America exceptional was our great and ever expanding middle class. It seems we have abandoned this idea, and we are allowing corporations and the rich to dictate to the rest of us how our country should be. This is wrong. I cry about it every day. I feel we are a lost cause.

America has always had more social mobility than any other society in the world - but social mobility and the "freedom to fail" are related. Societies that enact polices that lessen the incentive to succeed while minimizing the cost of not working hard tend to become stratified. Sadly, the groups we sought to help through enlighten social polies such as "affirmative action" have not followed the path of other groups that moved up the ladder without the benefit of such policies. A culture of personal responsibility is the biggest contributor to social mobility.

Read the paper lately? There is now less social mobility in America than there is in most European countries.

I don't know about personal responsibility, I thought the biggest contributor to social mobility is access to education and good jobs. But that would require, you know, a change in public policy. "Culture" sounds like a big cop-out for people who want to preserve the status quo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is it we have to have a society where the poor will stay poor and the rich will strive to do everything in their power to keep them there? This is not the American I grew up in. We used to believe in giving everyone an even chance. Now, we are all about "I got mine and I'm keeping it!" It is a sad commentary on the greatness we have lost.

We here all this talk about American "exceptionalism." What made America exceptional was our great and ever expanding middle class. It seems we have abandoned this idea, and we are allowing corporations and the rich to dictate to the rest of us how our country should be. This is wrong. I cry about it every day. I feel we are a lost cause.

America has always had more social mobility than any other society in the world - but social mobility and the "freedom to fail" are related. Societies that enact polices that lessen the incentive to succeed while minimizing the cost of not working hard tend to become stratified. Sadly, the groups we sought to help through enlighten social polies such as "affirmative action" have not followed the path of other groups that moved up the ladder without the benefit of such policies. A culture of personal responsibility is the biggest contributor to social mobility.

the US lost all credibility in freedom to fail in 2008 post TARP.

GM, Chrysler, AIG, BAC, ML, MS, Bear should all cease to exist with more bankers lying on the streets of fidi and midtown.

Two things that are utter BS about this country: 1. Freedom to fail 2. Land of second chances.

[Anonymous]

Forty percent of working-class white children are born out of wedlock, as are 53 percent of Hispanic children, and 73 percent of black children. Kids from broken homes are many times more likely to drop out of school, take drugs, join gangs, commit crimes, end up in prison, lose their souls, and produce yet another generation of lost souls.

[Anonymous]

The public schools in poor neighborhoods suck now. They didn't used to suck as much. So, it is really difficult for poor kids who have gone to these louzy schools to make it at an elite college. Until the louzy pre-k and primary/h.s. are fixed -- then poor kids will be stuck in the cellar.

[Anonymous]

This is why we have state schools and community colleges. It also explains why more people drive Fords than Maseratis. Not everybody gets a pony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The public schools in poor neighborhoods suck now. They didn't used to suck as much. So, it is really difficult for poor kids who have gone to these louzy schools to make it at an elite college. Until the louzy pre-k and primary/h.s. are fixed -- then poor kids will be stuck in the cellar.

The public schools in poor neighborhoods sucked even worse in the past, but more kids had a strong family supporting them.

[Anonymous]

Interesting study. I think when one of these researchers kids gets into an elite university, they should allow an underprivileged student to take their child's place instead. Maybe the members of the Brookings Institution could lead by example.

[Anonymous]

Just to add a bit of perspective, let’s remember that our president was raised by a single mother and that the 10 wealthiest Americans have decidedly humble roots: son of a lawyer, graduate of DC’s Wilson high school, adopted son of a government employee, the son’s of a man who began as a printer’s apprentice, the children of a high school grad who grew up on a farm and the son of an immigrant and real estate agent.

[Anonymous]

Those are anecdotes and outliers and say nothing about the increasing lack of social mobility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Brookings Institution today published a report advocating that colleges and universities, especially the elite universities, would do more to promote upward mobility in American society if they admitted more "bright, motivated students" from among the lower socio-economic classes than by admitting marginal students who are coming from the higher socio - economic classes.

I agree. More should be done to make America a true meritocracy, where the best and the brightest get into the best schools regardless of their ability to pay. What would we need to do as a society to make this happen?

You can read the report here. http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2013/11/glass-floor-downward-mobility-equality-opportunity-hoarding-reeves-howard?utm_campaign=brookings-comm&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=10890731&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_EAZm_4dY9WByT5NuDOWmHsYKVA4xjGMx-1Ahq4F9buhTdyA7exWVvU7l94OwSJhkEYcZPmgrA9jCmBpqDnjhynhzvRqVnnCsbpHpy23ifzd6oBI0&_hsmi=10890731heartily agree. If they're talking about taking significantly less qualified kids simply because they want to provide social mobility I wouldn't support that.

If they're truly talking about poor kids who are more objectively smart and capable then I whole heartily

[Anonymous]

If there are no losers there are no winners