CMC Introductory American Government -- Honors: Coming Apart II

(Taxes are not the main problem here: believe it or not, the rich really do pay a lot of taxes.)

This item, by Scott Jaschik in Inside Higher Ed, bears directly on our discussion of the Murray book:

In 2008, 55.9 percent of such high school graduates enrolled in college. By 2013, that figure dropped to 45.5 percent. While overall enrollment rates increased just after the economic downturn hit in 2008, they have fallen for all income groups since. However the drop for those from low-income families has been the greatest.

College Enrollment Rates for Recent High School Graduates

2008 2013

All 68.6% 65.9%

High income 81.9% 78.5%

Middle income 65.2% 63.8%

Low income 55.9% 45.5%

The analysis is based on U.S. Census Bureau data. For the above comparisons, the ACE study defined low-income families as those from the bottom 20 percent, high income as from the top 20 percent, and everyone else in the middle group.

More data here.

The sorting machine and acceptance rates (Murray, pp. 52-61). In 2018, CMC had a lower acceptance rate than Cornell, Williams, or Amherst.

"Demonstrated interest," early decision, and legacies give an edge to Belmont.

So does Harvard's Z-list/

Parental background and college prep (summary here)

Parental background continues makes a difference (College Outsiders v. College Concierges)

Problems persist even after lower-income students get in. See the fate of Pell grant students.

Things might be worse than Murray suggests

Jonathan Rothwell at NYT:

Almost all of the growth in top American earners has come from just three economic sectors: professional services, finance and insurance, and health care, groups that tend to benefit from regulatory barriers that shelter them from competition.

The groups that have contributed the most people to the 1 percent since 1980 are: physicians; executives, managers, sales supervisors, and analysts working in the financial sectors; and professional and legal service industry executives, managers, lawyers, consultants and sales representatives.