Introductory Sociology: Education - Higher Education Access Student Debt Rising Costs Decline of Tenure

What It Is

Higher education refers to the post-secondary education provided by institutions such as colleges and universities. For example, a student enrolling in a four-year degree program at a public university is accessing higher education. Sociologists care about higher education because it is a critical factor in social mobility, economic development, and individual success, yet it is becoming increasingly inaccessible and expensive.

Must-Know Facts

• Access to higher education: The number of students attending college has increased over the past few decades, but the rate of increase has slowed down, and there are still significant disparities in access based on socioeconomic status.
• Student debt: The average student debt in the United States is over $31,000, with some students graduating with debt exceeding $100,000 (Federal Reserve, 2020).
• Rising costs: The cost of attending college has increased by over 150% since 1980, outpacing inflation and wage growth (College Board, 2020).
• Decline of tenure: The percentage of faculty members with tenure has declined from 43% in 1975 to 28% in 2019 (American Association of University Professors, 2020).
• Key theorist: Pierre Bourdieu argued that cultural capital, including education, is a key factor in social mobility (Bourdieu, 1986).
• Key concept: Credentialism refers to the increasing importance of formal education credentials in the job market (Collins, 1979).
• Empirical finding: A study by the National Center for Education Statistics found that students from low-income families are less likely to attend college and more likely to drop out (NCES, 2019).
• Classic study: The Coleman Report (1966) found that socioeconomic status is a stronger predictor of educational outcomes than school quality.
• Important definition: Affordability refers to the ability of students to pay for college without incurring significant debt (College Board, 2020).
• Distinction: Public vs. private colleges: Public colleges are generally more affordable than private colleges, but may have lower graduation rates (NCES, 2019).
• Theorist: Marxist theory argues that education is a tool of social control, used to maintain the power of the ruling class (Althusser, 1971).
• Concept: Neoliberalism refers to the increasing influence of market principles in higher education, including the emphasis on efficiency and productivity (Harvey, 2005).
• Empirical finding: A study by the Federal Reserve found that student debt is a significant predictor of delayed marriage and homeownership (Federal Reserve, 2020).
• Study: The National Survey of Student Engagement found that students who are more engaged in their learning are more likely to graduate and achieve their career goals (NSSE, 2019).

Common Misunderstandings

• Misunderstanding: Higher education is only for the wealthy.
• Correction: While there are disparities in access, higher education is still accessible to students from low-income families through scholarships, grants, and financial aid.
• Misunderstanding: Student debt is a necessary evil for students to access higher education.
• Correction: While some student debt is unavoidable, the increasing amount of debt is a concern, and policymakers are exploring ways to reduce the burden of student debt.
• Misunderstanding: The decline of tenure is a result of faculty members being lazy or unproductive.
• Correction: The decline of tenure is a result of changes in the higher education landscape, including the increasing emphasis on efficiency and productivity.

Practice Questions

1. What is the average student debt in the United States? A) $10,000 B) $20,000 C) $31,000 D) $50,000 Answer: C) $31,000 Why correct: This is a key fact about student debt in the United States.

2. What is the percentage of faculty members with tenure? A) 20% B) 30% C) 40% D) 28% Answer: D) 28% Why correct: This is a key fact about the decline of tenure.

3. What is the term for the increasing importance of formal education credentials in the job market? A) Credentialism B) Affordability C) Neoliberalism D) Public vs. private colleges Answer: A) Credentialism Why correct: This is a key concept in sociology of education.

4. What is the name of the study that found that socioeconomic status is a stronger predictor of educational outcomes than school quality? A) Coleman Report B) National Survey of Student Engagement C) Federal Reserve Study D) National Center for Education Statistics Answer: A) Coleman Report Why correct: This is a classic study in sociology of education.

5. What is the term for the increasing influence of market principles in higher education? A) Neoliberalism B) Credentialism C) Affordability D) Public vs. private colleges Answer: A) Neoliberalism Why correct: This is a key concept in sociology of education.

Quick Revision

• Pierre Bourdieu argued that cultural capital is a key factor in social mobility.
• The average student debt in the United States is over $31,000.
• The percentage of faculty members with tenure has declined from 43% in 1975 to 28% in 2019.
• Credentialism refers to the increasing importance of formal education credentials in the job market.
• Neoliberalism refers to the increasing influence of market principles in higher education.
• The Coleman Report found that socioeconomic status is a stronger predictor of educational outcomes than school quality.
• Affordability refers to the ability of students to pay for college without incurring significant debt.
• Public vs. private colleges: Public colleges are generally more affordable than private colleges, but may have lower graduation rates.
• Marxist theory argues that education is a tool of social control, used to maintain the power of the ruling class.
• The National Survey of Student Engagement found that students who are more engaged in their learning are more likely to graduate and achieve their career goals.