Op-Ed: Where Are The Poor Students?

Socioeconomic status has always been a topic that has piqued my interest into seeking further understanding about its existence and pervasiveness in American culture. This is why I chose to read Adam Howard’s and Arthur Levine’s article Where Are The Poor Students? A Conversation About Social Class and College Attendance. Having attended Teachers College, Columbia University, I am familiar with Levine’s work surrounding issues related to education and student access. I thought the title of this particular article spoke to an issue that is not widely discussed amongst educators as a significant contributor to college entrance and college completion of students who come from economically disadvantaged areas. While some may contend that there are more students attending college than in the past, despite being at an economic disadvantage, Levine asserts that fewer students , who do not have the monetary means to pay for college, are entering college, and even more students drop-out of college as a result of the inability to pay for school. Levine then provides an explanation as to why this might be occurring and I appreciate the suggestions he gives to educators who work with these students, so that they may assist these students with being successful in college.

Levine begins his response to Howard’s questions by explaining why so many student s from poor areas of the country are not seeking college as an opportunity for educational and economic growth. He explains that in these particular areas “the people who have been most advantaged are gang leaders and pimps and drug dealers.” He then goes on to state that these students are unaware of avenues in which they can take advantage of to escape these conditions and their parents have not had much success in dealing with the educational system. Upon reading his statement regarding individuals that engage in criminal activity being a model of success in poor communities, I immediately became offended because I felt that his comment implied that students, who are poor, come from predominantly African American neighborhoods. Furthermore, while I believe to a certain extent that many parents have had challenges when dealing with the educational system, I believe with the decline of economy, including the loss of jobs and governmental programs being cut, many parents who might have had past success with the educational system, find themselves in a situation in where they can no longer afford, or assist, their son/daughter in paying for college. Nonetheless, I do agree with his contention that the current educational system is designed to build barriers for poor people to remain in that position and make college financially inaccessible.

Levine touched upon the notion of mentorship being a tool in which educators can use to allow these students to feel welcomed and successfully guide them through the higher education process. He described a time in which he conducted a study at a community college in Boston and Harvard, whereby he researched poor students who lived in a low-income projects and their perspective on college. He explained that all the students he spoke with, no matter which school they attended, all the students mentioned that one person intervened early on, and helped them to avoid the pitfalls that most students from disadvantaged areas fall into. He stated this one person “assisted them with enrichment.  They provided a sense of opportunity and may even marched them to the college gate.” When reading this, I am reminded of all the “one person” I have had in my life throughout my educational career. Though my family was not classified as poor, I lived in an urban sector of Los Angeles where many families were economically disadvantaged. I attended schools that were not privy to many resources other schools might have enjoyed. Thus, my educational experience faced many challenges. Nevertheless, I was fortunate enough to have many people in my life, some teachers and counselors, who saw something in me that forced them to assist me with my educational endeavors. That served as a significant support system because they were so knowledgeable about the process and allowed me to explore many options, while they encouraged me to focus on my path. I thought it interesting that Levine mentioned that there was an organizational effort that supported these students, but just one person that took the time to mentor and guide these students to their desired educational goals. Having a mentor is essential to the success of any college student, whether they are poor or not, because it allows the students to have a close, intimate relationship with someone who is a model of success for them, and whom they can mirror their behaviors, attitudes, and enthusiasm for educational success.

In closing, I thought this article shined a beacon of light on the issue of college accessibility to those who are of low socioeconomic status. I agree with his many assertions of how the educational system needs to make a greater effort in financially assisting students who are intellectuals, in their own right, but might not have the access to display their capabilities on an intellectual platform, such as a college campus. While many are aware that having money is important in completing a college program, I find that most are not aware of the structural barriers in which college systems are designed, keeping out those students who might have a thirst for knowledge and intellectual growth, but have yet to figure out a way to pay for the ability to show it.