Dreams Deterred: How Federal Policies Keep the Poor Out of College
Poor young people usually have (at least) two disadvantages that hold them back: lack of a decent public high school education and the culture of low expectations. Getting a high school diploma and not being able to compute or communicate means an extra year in remedial non-credit college courses to catch up. Having role models who dress for flash instead of success, who view hard work as acting white, or who choose crime or addiction instead of self-discipline make it much harder for a young person to get started on the path to independence. Getting that first college year free may make up for the bad education; the rest should be completed because of hard work and frugality, not government handouts; those are the very skills that will make them rise above their peers. As long as they aren’t making babies or getting drunk, most 20 somethings can handle a job and a few classes, and it makes the degree mean more to them.
We have a school in our state that grants scholarships based solely on grades; straight A’s get the next semester free; A- averages get half off. Good incentive to study hard!
