| New York Times,
September 5, 2005, David Brooks article: |
| • |
Students in the poorest quarter of the population
have an 8.6% chance of getting a college degree. |
| • |
Students in the top quarter have a 74.9% chance. |
| • |
The most damning indictment of our university system
is that these poorer kids are graduating from high school
in greater numbers. It is when they get to college that
they begin failing and dropping out. |
| The National Center for Education
Statistics, 2005 study: |
| • |
Roughly 75% of first-generation students who attend
college have not received a bachelor’s degree 8
years out of high school. |
| • |
Less than half of the students who attend community
college or a non-selective four-year institution ever
graduate—nearly 80% of the nation’s post-secondary
student body. |
| The Educational Research Institute,
2005 report: |
| • |
Only 29% of first generation students enroll in postsecondary
education immediately after high school, compared with
73% of students whose parents have received a bachelor’s
degree. |
| • |
Preparation is a significant issue: Only 45% of first
generation students take the SAT or ACT, compared to 82%
of students whose parents have a bachelor’s degree. |
