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Paying For The Party: How College Maintains Inequality

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By Tressie McMillan Cottom

College is supposed to be the great equalizer. It's where students from all backgrounds come together to learn and grow, and where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. But as Tressie McMillan Cottom argues in her new book, Paying For The Party: How College Maintains Inequality, college is actually a major source of inequality in America.

Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality

by Elizabeth A. Armstrong

4.3 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	344 pages

Cottom, a sociologist at Vanderbilt University, draws on her own experiences as a first-generation college student to explore the ways in which college perpetuates inequality. She argues that the high cost of college and the limited access to financial aid make it difficult for students from low-income backgrounds to succeed in college. The book also explores the ways in which college admissions policies and practices favor students from wealthy families, and how this contributes to the reproduction of inequality.

Cottom's book is a powerful indictment of the American higher education system. She argues that college is not a meritocracy, and that students from wealthy families have a significant advantage over students from low-income backgrounds. This advantage is not simply a matter of money; it is also a matter of access to information, resources, and networks.

For example, Cottom points out that students from wealthy families are more likely to have access to good schools, which can help them prepare for college. They are also more likely to have parents who can afford to pay for college, and who can provide them with financial and emotional support. In addition, students from wealthy families are more likely to have access to internships and other opportunities that can help them get ahead in their careers.

Cottom's book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the future of higher education in America. She provides a clear and concise analysis of the ways in which college perpetuates inequality, and she offers important recommendations for how to make college more equitable.

Key Findings

Cottom's book is based on a wide range of research, including interviews with students, parents, and college administrators. Her findings include:

The cost of college has been rising steadily for decades, and it is now out of reach for many students from low-income backgrounds.
The limited access to financial aid makes it difficult for students from low-income backgrounds to pay for college.
College admissions policies and practices favor students from wealthy families.
College is not a meritocracy, and students from wealthy families have a significant advantage over students from low-income backgrounds.

Recommendations

Cottom offers a number of recommendations for how to make college more equitable. These recommendations include:

Increasing the amount of financial aid available to students from low-income backgrounds.
Making college more affordable by reducing tuition and fees.
Reforming college admissions policies and practices to give students from low-income backgrounds a fairer chance of being admitted.
Investing in public education to ensure that all students have access to a quality education.

College is a major source of inequality in America. The high cost of college and the limited access to financial aid make it difficult for students from low-income backgrounds to succeed in college. College admissions policies and practices also favor students from wealthy families, and this contributes to the reproduction of inequality.

Cottom's book is a powerful indictment of the American higher education system. She provides a clear and concise analysis of the ways in which college perpetuates inequality, and she offers important recommendations for how to make college more equitable.

If we want to create a more just and equitable society, we need to make college more affordable and accessible for all students, regardless of their background.

Paying for the Party: How College Maintains Inequality

by Elizabeth A. Armstrong

4.3 out of 5