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Summary: Tough's two overarching points are that the main focal points for the article. The first is that the cost of college in America is absolutely appalling. This high cost is causing many students to either not go in the first place, or to not finish because they are acquiring too much debt that it becomes unsustainable. Tough's second main point is that there is an intense political divide in the country that is reflecting on our public universities. In short, Republicans are less likely to send their children to college out of a fear of them being indoctrinated to liberal ideas.

Evidence: In a combination of both factors, a 2023 study done by Sophie Nguyen, Rachel Fishman, and Olivia Cheche demonstrated that 66% of Generation Z state that they strongly or somewhat agree that you can get a stable, well paying job right out of high school if you graduated high school. That was a nearly 16% increase when the same study was conducted nearly 5 years prior. The rise in this can be attributed to the cost of college not being beneficial in the work force as well as the newest political factors at play.

In my eyes: The cost of college is appalling. That is a shock to no one. The economy is awful, that is also a shock to no one. It is so hard to afford anything right now, especially an education with as big an investment as it is right now. As for politics, I think it is a very interesting concept that such an ideology of compassion, empathy, and knowledge could be so controversial. I personally do not understand it at a

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Summary: Outside of the United States, the rates of students going to college has drastically risen. The cost of going to college has stayed relatively the same, or even gone down in some scenarios. America is an outlier due to the outrageous tuition and attendance costs and due to the lack of students enrolling in universities nationally. While the rest of the world's enrollment is increasing, America's is decreasing, resulting in it being an outlier.

Evidence: "Outside the United States, meanwhile, higher education is more popular than ever. Our global allies and competitors have spent the last couple of decades racing to raise their national levels of educational attainment. In Britain, the number of current undergraduates has risen since 2016 by 12 percent. (Over the same period, the American figure fell by 8 percent.) In Canada, 67 percent of adults between 25 and 34 are graduates of a two- or four-year college, about 15 percentage points higher than the current American attainment rate" (2, Tough).

In my eyes: You cannot argue with the facts. The tuition prices are absolutely appalling. I know so many people that committed to a college but could not go due to the ungodly cost. That being said, I know so many people who are working straight out of high school to afford to go to college in the coming years. And again, so many people who are commuting to save on room and board prices.

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College Wage Premium: the gap that exists between the incomes of college graduates and high school graduates

College Wealth Premium: looks at all your assets and all your debts

Casino: a public room or building where gambling games are played

Ideology: a system of ideas and ideals, especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy

Affluent: (especially of a group or area) having a great deal of money; wealthy

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Liberal Ideology Promoted in the Classroom

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Liberal Ideology Promoted in the Classroom

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Summary: Previously, in America, college was a renowned concept by the vast majority of the public. Including both major political parties. As time went on, the left, the democrats, became the party of the educated. In recent years, the right has turned away from mainstream universities and education to save their children from "woke ideals". This has resulted in a push for republicans to keep their young adult children out of colleges. This push has made the population of students in college majority democratic.

Evidence: Attached, is a graph Tough uses to prove his point. It demonstrates the gradual shift the right had about college education. This study was done by UCLA in the early 2010s and again in 2018 to compare and contrast results, and the results were striking. Republicans do not want to be in a space they are not welcome and that is evident in the graphs provided.

In my eyes: With full transparency, I am very left leaning. I believe it makes sense the left is the party of the college educated right now. It will never make sense to me why you would not want to learn more. Learning about history, suffering, and change may make you "woke" but I believe it has the capacity to make people better, empathetic people.

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Summary: The college casino is a metaphor to describe how much luck a college graduate is predicted to achieve in the future. It is a combination of college wealth and wage premium. It takes into account major chosen, career path, other successful people in the field, the college the young adult graduated from, as well as the likelihood of completing the degree at hand.

Evidence: Tough sites Douglas Webber's study on the college casino. Essentially, Webber proves that colllege is a gamble that is dependent on graduation, major, and debt acquired in the process.

In my eyes: I see where Webber is coming from and it is an unfortunate state America is in. One of my really good friends from high school is in art school. She is such a talented artist. Recently I asked her what her post grad plans were. She responded "to live". She is going to college for a degree that might not even give her enough money to live and have a successful future.

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College Wage Premium vs. College Wealth Premium

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College Wage Premium vs. College Wealth Premium

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Summary: College wage premium is the difference in how much a person who went to and graduated college is expected to make in their lifetime, in relation to their peers who only graduated high school. The "wage premium" specifically describes the gap that appears. College graduates are generally expected to make more money in their career. The college wealth premium specifically discusses all of the assets and debt acquired in one's lifetime. Currently, it is harder to acquire the wealth that is generally attached to a college degree due to the astonishingly high tuition prices that can make a lot of college graduates go into copious amounts of debt.

Evidence: Attached, is a graph that demonstrates how the college wealth premium has ultimately decreased in value over time. In the 1940s, a college degree was crucial for African Americans to succeed, obtain assets, and acquire wealth. As demonstrated by the graph, by the 1980s, a college degree meant close to nothing when acquiring wealth for both white and black people, but especially African Americans. As time moved forward, the amount of debt acquired increased which made the average wealth decrease.

In my eyes: Personally, especially while looking at the graph, you cannot deny that there is a huge gap today. Yes, you do earn more with a degree. But earning that degree costs so much. For me, I want to be a teacher. A job you have to have at least a bachelors degree to have. My family is luckily helping to put me through school but I will still graduate with some debt. Is that debt too much? Will I fall victim to having a low wealth when I am older because I grew up poor? I think it is extremely unfair and something structurally needs to change in American society to get everyone to a point that they are able to live without copious amounts of debt for wanting to be educated.

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Summary: The cost of college is nothing short of ridiculous. This high cost is acting as a deterrent for the average American who wants to pursue higher education. In turn, more high school graduates are going to community college, working to save up money to go to college later down the line, or pursuing a trade to make money out of the gate.

Evidence: Let's take Rutgers as an example. Rutgers is a public university, a state school! Using a middle class instate student who is anticipating staying in the dorms, that is expecting to cost a family $40,260 for one year. That is appalling.

In my eyes: A little personal background, my family is not very well off. My parents are not married, so it is just my mother on my FAFSA. She is a part-time employee at a local amusement park. She has no assets to her name, as of right now. Legally, I do not have a father. So, on the FAFSA it is just my moms part time income! For me to attend Rutgers it is $6,000 a semester after reaching the most help bracket on the FAFSA, loans, and personal scholarships. I receive $26,599 a year in aid before personal scholarships. I still have to pay close to $12,000 a year. That is ridiculous.

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Summary: Relating to the casino, college can be a gamble in your future. Part of the gamble, is not only the major a young adult decides, but the college they go to. There are certain schools that can boost a child's resume and make them a better candidate for the job market. A better job then, in turn, makes the amount that was paid for a better school pay off.

Evidence: "Your odds of coming out ahead depend largely on who your parents are. If you possess the social and financial advantages necessary to gain admission to one of the nation’s most selective colleges, you’ll probably make out fine, even if the table stakes do seem awfully high. Most American college students, however, don’t have access to the benefits that those selective colleges produce. Only about 10 percent of students today are enrolled at a college that admits fewer than half its applicants. The rest of the American college going population attend mostly less selective public institutions, local community colleges or for-profit schools" (14, Tough).

In my eyes: In part, I think it is ridiculous that an acceptance letter can change your entire future. A candidate from Harvard is going to look better on paper than a candidate from Mississippi University. But why? Does that mean the person from Mississippi worked less hard? Obviously not. I think America is way more segregated and classist than anyone cares to give it credit for. Affluent areas are so pretentious. In my Urban Teaching lecture, we are discussing a lot of the different types of schools and educations children get. A child is automatically disadvantaged if they come from a poor family from the city. Their chances of going to a better school and making more money are so much more slim than a student who grew up in a white, wealthy neighborhood.

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Mapping Toughs essay - "Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?"

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Mapping Toughs essay - "Americans Are Losing Faith in the Value of College. Whose Fault Is That?"