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Shouldn't a College Degree Keep You Out of Poverty?
Change.Org ^ | June 11th 2010 | Lauren Kelley

Posted on 06/14/2010 6:16:41 AM PDT by Cardhu

There's good news and bad news in a new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy. The good news: an increasing number of low-income young adults are going to college these days. The bad news: many of those low-income students remain in poverty after they graduate.

The report (pdf) found that 47 percent of young adults whose total household income was near or below the federal poverty level were enrolled in an institute of higher education in 2008, a healthy five percent increase from 2000, and another 11 percent had earned a degree. However, about one in ten of those students “failed to immediately transcend the poverty threshold.” In other words, they passed college but college failed them.

The introduction to the report quotes President Obama's State of the Union Address from January: "[I]n the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education." Apparently, and unfortunately, things don't appear to be that cut-and-dry for many impoverished young adults. Although higher education opportunities are expanding for poor populations, outcomes are not getting any better. Which raises the question: what good is a college education without a positive outcome?

There are a lot of surprising statistics in the report that are begging for explanation. (White low-income students are twice as likely as African Americans and Hispanics to remain poor after graduation? Really?) Future reports in the series, which is being funded by the Gates Foundation, will examine educational aspirations, academic preparation, movement in and between schools, and financial aid and debt burdens among low-income young adults to give all of us a better understanding of what's going on here so we can try and address the problem(s).

Even for young adults not coming from low-income backgrounds, college is expensive and may not be worth it in this economy. If we don't start improving educational outcomes for poor students, college might start to seem like a worthless pursuit for everyone – and I don't think that's a road any of us want the country to go down. Gregory S. Kienzl, director of research and evaluation at IHEP, summed it up best: "If you have a degree, you should no longer be poor."


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: academia; college; degree; highereducation; jobs; outcomes
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"White low-income students are twice as likely as African Americans and Hispanics to remain poor after graduation?"

PDF here
1 posted on 06/14/2010 6:16:41 AM PDT by Cardhu
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To: Cardhu

Not if the degree is in women’s or ethnic studies!


2 posted on 06/14/2010 6:18:43 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: Cardhu

“a” college degree?

No...

You have to have useful skills and education that is in demand.

Not much demand for “insert your perpetually aggrieved group” studies degrees.


3 posted on 06/14/2010 6:18:45 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Cardhu

Not surprising since most college degrees are less valuable than an equal amount of toilet paper.


4 posted on 06/14/2010 6:20:25 AM PDT by Seruzawa (If you agree with the French raise your hand - If you are French raise both hands.)
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To: MrB; Rummyfan

Who would even think of going into debt for such worthless degees?


5 posted on 06/14/2010 6:21:03 AM PDT by Cardhu
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To: Cardhu

College degrees officially jumped the shark when people spent $30K a year in tuition to qualify for a $25K a year job after they graduate. Aside from SOME BA degrees, and engineering/math/science degrees, most aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.


6 posted on 06/14/2010 6:21:53 AM PDT by OCCASparky (Obama--Playing a West Wing fantasy in a '24' world.)
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To: Cardhu

People whose self worth is totally consumed with what people think of them and how much they “care”.


7 posted on 06/14/2010 6:22:16 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Cardhu

Depends on the degree. But I’ll say this - a good set of pipe wrenches and other assorted plumbing tools will do better at keeping one out of poverty than will many college degrees.


8 posted on 06/14/2010 6:22:17 AM PDT by meyer (Big government is the enemy of freedom.)
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To: Cardhu

It is racist to apply simple cost-benefit analysis to a college education, don’t you know?


9 posted on 06/14/2010 6:22:44 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law." -- Aristotle)
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To: Cardhu

Education= Indoctrination!

A degree is now less and less even a work permit excluding those w/o a degree...

The only education is self-education.


10 posted on 06/14/2010 6:23:22 AM PDT by gunnyg (Surrounded By The Enemy Within--~ Our "Novembers" Are Behind Us...If Ya Can Grok That!)
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To: Cardhu

A college degree is only a tool, not a guarantee.


11 posted on 06/14/2010 6:23:26 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: OCCASparky

I relate this often, but I was at a baby shower with my wife a few years back. There were a lot of “professional educators” there.

You should have seen the looks of shock and gasps of disbelief when I said “not everyone is fit for college, you know”.


12 posted on 06/14/2010 6:23:59 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: Cardhu

I’ve taught math, physics, and EE at the undergrad and grad level for quite a few years. Given the present environment here in the states, I really don’t know if I’d encourage any student to pursue science or engineering.

Also, I respectfully suggest a change of nomenclature for college “professors”. I shudder when I find that some idiot with a degree in upgraded marshmallow coloring is called “professor” - the same prefix that I was honored and privileged to have.


13 posted on 06/14/2010 6:24:35 AM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Cardhu
"White low-income students are twice as likely as African Americans and Hispanics to remain poor after graduation?"

Its called "Affirmative Action", and they are now a large portion of the government. I have a black female "supervisor" with a masters degree and she can barely read. (she has no clue what I do) I'm not kidding. PS, I'm a mechanic/technician w/o college but with years of Vo-Tech Schools.

14 posted on 06/14/2010 6:24:52 AM PDT by 2aberro
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

I know a gentleman with a MBA from Notre Dame, now working at $8 an hour. A degree is only part of the equation. It’s how many are looking for the same job, work ethic, overall market demand, etc. A degree is a guarantee of nothing other than that the person spend 4 years or more pursuing an education. Beyond that, nothing.


15 posted on 06/14/2010 6:24:54 AM PDT by rstrahan
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To: Cardhu

failed to immediately transcend the poverty threshold.”

Ummm. Very few college grads IMMEDIATELY transcend the poverty threshold. Have to find a job, get out of debt, perhaps travel. Who are they kidding

Statistics in the hands of liars.


16 posted on 06/14/2010 6:25:05 AM PDT by Chickensoup (The Acting President....is an incompetent puppet of Soros.)
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To: Cardhu

ambition + degree = success.


17 posted on 06/14/2010 6:25:22 AM PDT by muddler (Obama is either incompetent or malicious, and it makes little difference which.)
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To: Cardhu
Gregory S. Kienzl, director of research and evaluation at IHEP, summed it up best: "If you have a degree, you should no longer be poor."

Huh??? Perhaps "if you go to college and learn skills in something useful (and can follow instructions, read and perform simple calculations) ... but what does a degree in Art History or Women's Studies prepare someone for that a high school diploma doesn't????

Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are college dropouts who seem to have done OK. I don't think the lack of a degree has held them back too much.

18 posted on 06/14/2010 6:26:09 AM PDT by Sooth2222 ("Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of congress. But I repeat myself." M.Twain)
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To: Cardhu
A college education isn’t going to do you much good unless you get involved with things on campus like undergraduate research or other fieldwork. Otherwise you’ll have no experience using your classroom knowledge for creative pursuits.>
19 posted on 06/14/2010 6:26:13 AM PDT by Soothesayer (We are completely ******!)
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To: gunnyg

“work permit for excluding those” without the “right” ideology.

This has been the goal of all these “race to the top”, “no child left behind”, “goals 2000”, and “outcome based education” programs. By the way, these are all the same, just have different names.

Students soon will be screened and channelled based on ideology revealing tests - if you’re a Christian, you’ll be channelled to some labor job. If you’re a nihilist government worshipper, you’ll be channelled to some leadership occupation.


20 posted on 06/14/2010 6:26:32 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a (de)humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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