Blog #1: Initial Topic Idea

-
The value of a college degree has become questionable recently, in large part due to the rising cost of attending college and the outbreak of Covid-19 which changed all classes online. For my research, I would like to explore the following:
  • Factors that influence the value of a college degree
  • Economic benefits from obtaining a college degree and whether paying for college with student loans is worth it
  • Why a college degree may not be a smart investment for everyone
  • Why the value of a college degree is diminishing overtime
  • Possible cheaper alternatives to a college degree

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog#3- Research Question & Sources

-
Research Question: Recent series of college-admissions scandals have exposed the false meritocracy of the American Dream. In fact, the emphasis on one’s merit has produced unfair admissions competitions in which students from less privileged backgrounds are highly disadvantaged. Why has admission to elite universities become such a fierce competition? Is the meritocratic system itself the biggest obstacle to creating a fair society? Can a fair meritocracy ever exist? Academic Sources: Liu, Amy. “Unraveling the Myth of Meritocracy Within the Context of US Higher Education.”  Higher Education , vol. 62, no. 4, Springer, 2011, pp. 383–97, doi:10.1007/s10734-010-9394-7. Mads Meier Jæger. “Equal Access but Unequal Outcomes: Cultural Capital and Educational Choice in a Meritocratic Society.”  Social Forces , vol. 87, no. 4, University of North Carolina Press, 2009, pp. 1943–71, doi:10.1353/sof.0.0192 Nahai, Rebekah N. “Is Meritocracy Fair? A Qualitative Case Study of Admissions at the Univer
Read more

Blog #10: Abstract and Works Cited

-
Abstract This research paper explores how meritocracy, a system in which people believe advancements should be based on one’s talents and merits rather than family and wealth, influence the current college admissions system. To understand how merit-based admissions consolidate class privilege and legitimize inequality, this paper examines different types of admissions policies that exclusively benefit the elite class and exclude the underserved class. This paper sheds light on the elites who are trapped in a never-ending struggle to sustain the meritocratic image of success and the underprivileged class who are forced to internalize their failures.   Works Cited Avery, Christopher, et al. The Early Admissions Game: Joining the Elite . Harvard University Press, 2004. Burd, Stephen. “The Out-Of-State Student Arms Race: How Public Universities Use Merit Aid to Recruit Nonresident Students,” New America Foundation, 2015.   Burd, Stephen. “Undermining Pell: How Colleges Compete for Wealthy
Read more

Blog #2: Scouting the Territory

-
Image
Where I currently stand: My topic idea has changed after I narrowed my ideas. I initially wanted to research on the "value of earning a college degree," but I thought this topic was quite broad and I found myself more interested in the "inherited meritocracy" discussed in Paying for the Party . I am curious how is it that the elites are still enjoying privileges in a society where their advantages are deemed problematic and meritocracy is despised. I would like to devote my research into the admissions process of elite colleges and examine how meritocracy plays a pivotal role in the college admissions game. Furthermore, I would like to explore how competitive college rankings has led Ivy League schools to promote diversity and examine what kinds of diversity are actually valued and how they are achieved in the admissions process. I have named my blog after InGram Pinn’s illustration of the “Green Carpet” which symbolizes bribery in college admissions. Though my rese
Read more