College affordability has become a frequent topic of conversation—in academic research, in politics, in schools, and in households.
a. In the excerpt we read from “Paying the Priceâ€, author Sara Goldrick-Rab outlines several key components of the financial aid system. In your own words, identify the main argument in this excerpt. From a student perspective, do you agree with this argument? Why or why not?
b. Next, let’s take a closer look at higher education data.
Select one of the figures/tables/charts presented in Baum & Johnson’s “Financing Public Higher Education†report and briefly summarize the data or trend that it displays. What are the sociological implications of this data/trend?
Similarly, the NYTimes piece shows that there is socioeconomic variation across colleges & universities. Select one of the figures/tables/charts in the NYTimes article and briefly summarize the data or trend that it displays.
Sample Solution