Does a College Education Help All People Equally?
Higher education has been a dream for generations of men and women all over the world.
But does higher education improve the lives of all people in the same way?
A study released in February 2017 supports this idea. The study comes from a research program called the Equality of Opportunity Project. It is operated by Stanford University and other top schools in the United States.
It showed that a degree from an ‘Ivy League’ or other highly selective school helps students from low-income families a great deal.
'Ivy League' is a term for eight private universities in the northeastern United States.
The study found that about 60 percent of the lowest income students at Ivy League schools earned as much as students from the highest income families later in life.
Niklas Flamang is a doctoral degree candidate in economics at Stanford.
Flamang says the study identified 10 less selective universities that also helped large numbers of students escape poverty.
He says this proves that any college can be a tool for success.
However, the study also notes that Ivy League and other top schools are less likely to accept students from low-income families.
But some people would argue that college is not the only way to success.
Nicholas Wyman is head of the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation.
He argues that there are still many well-paying jobs that do not require a college degree.
