Response Paper #1: Intergenerational Income Inequality Among College Graduates
It is common wisdom that college graduates earn more over their lifetimes than those who did not attend college. Because of this simple fact, we often assume that college acts as a great income equalizer. Students who were raised low-income have a chance to earn as much as much as their classmates who were raised high income once they graduate from college. A recent study from the Brookings Institute debunks this widely-circulated myth.
Hershbein (2016) writes:
College graduates from families with an income below 185 percent of the federal poverty level (the eligibility threshold for the federal assisted lunch program) earn 91 percent more over their careers than high school graduates from the same income group. By comparison, college graduates from families with incomes above 185 percent of the FPL [federal poverty level] earned 162 percent more over their careers (between the ages of 25 and 62) than those with just a high school diploma.
Source: Hershbein, B. (2016, February 19). A college degree is worth less if you are raised poor. Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution. Retrieved from: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/social-mobility-memos/2016/02/19/a-college-degree-is-worth-less-if-you-are-raised-poor/
In this assignment, you will address the question: Why does college bring lower returns for students who were raised in low-income households? Make sure to include both 1 and 2 below.
- Please propose two hypotheses to explain this result. At least one should be inspired by functionalist, conflict, or interpretivist The second hypothesis can be yours alone – that is, an idea inspired by an observation, personal experience, popular media, or an academic resource. You should clearly explain how each hypothesis relates to the theory or resource that inspired it. (Please cite any outside resources you reference in your paper, use at least 3-5 citations from the PDF book School and Society. Chapter 1-7)
- Please consider two strategies for remedying this problem. For example, if you believe income inequality is caused by air pollution, what should you do to reduce air pollution? Your discussion of solutions should include:
- Why you believe this is a good solution.
- Who needs to support this idea for it to work.
- Who is likely to oppose this idea and why.
- What unintended consequences might result from this solution.
And more information about the policy problem on which this case is based here:
Your response should be at least 3 pages long
Grading Rubric
| Criterion | Description | Points Possible |
| Stance | Does the author take a critical stance and provide a clear point of view?
|
50 |
| Content | Does the paper move beyond a description of the problem and a summary of the theories, and use logical, original, and creative thinking to support a stance?
|
50 |
| Support | Where appropriate, does the author use concepts from the course to defend their position?
|
50 |
| Writing Style | Is the writing clear and concise, and does it avoid assumptions about the reader’s outside knowledge?
|
50 |
| Total | 200 | |
