Comments on: Low Income Hinders College Attendance, Even for Top Students http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/ Strength in Numbers Thu, 24 May 2012 11:10:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-34631 Nathan Yau Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:11:21 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-34631 you must be new here :) you must be new here :)

]]> By: William http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-34630 William Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:15:25 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-34630 Interesting observation. It seems that you are trying to conclude that low income is an impediment to college completion. These days, vitually any capable student can attend some college. I think you may be confusing correlation with causation. It is possible, and I would argue likely, that if you reevaluated the data you would find that the likelihood of completing college is correlated with whether the parents completed college, and that income is correlated with educational level of the parents. Therefore another conclusion, or pehaps more accurtely, another theory is that college completion is a function of how much the parents value education. Interesting observation. It seems that you are trying to conclude that low income is an impediment to college completion. These days, vitually any capable student can attend some college. I think you may be confusing correlation with causation. It is possible, and I would argue likely, that if you reevaluated the data you would find that the likelihood of completing college is correlated with whether the parents completed college, and that income is correlated with educational level of the parents. Therefore another conclusion, or pehaps more accurtely, another theory is that college completion is a function of how much the parents value education.

]]> By: Help The Teak Fellowship; Meet Great Women | DinnerGrrls.org http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-34206 Help The Teak Fellowship; Meet Great Women | DinnerGrrls.org Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:32:56 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-34206 [...] from low-income families gain admission to and succeed at top high schools and colleges.  (Fact: poor, smart kids are 61% less likely to graduate from college than rich, smart kids — an....) TEAK’s founder, Justine Stamen Arrillaga, founded it in honor of a former student of hers [...] [...] from low-income families gain admission to and succeed at top high schools and colleges.  (Fact: poor, smart kids are 61% less likely to graduate from college than rich, smart kids — an….) TEAK’s founder, Justine Stamen Arrillaga, founded it in honor of a former student of hers [...]

]]> By: Byron http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-34061 Byron Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:38:57 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-34061 I un-pivoted the raw data from the report, and uploaded it to: http://visualizefree.com/show.jsp?id=dDgDSAbN Then, I created an interactive visualization that allows you to play with the numbers a bit: http://visualizefree.com/share.jsp?id=hdmlOoDQ I un-pivoted the raw data from the report, and uploaded it to: http://visualizefree.com/show.jsp?id=dDgDSAbN

Then, I created an interactive visualization that allows you to play with the numbers a bit: http://visualizefree.com/share.jsp?id=hdmlOoDQ

]]> By: Gravity’s Rainbow » Blog Archive » What I’ve Noticed http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33919 Gravity’s Rainbow » Blog Archive » What I’ve Noticed Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:34:44 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33919 [...] Doing well in college has more to do with $$ than brains. [...] [...] Doing well in college has more to do with $$ than brains. [...]

]]> By: SES trumps GPA « Echolocation http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33606 SES trumps GPA « Echolocation Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:51:54 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33606 [...] findings, graph-style, from a Department of Education study tracking college graduation rates.  As Nathan points out, many low-income students who had high math performance still didn’t complete college. The [...] [...] findings, graph-style, from a Department of Education study tracking college graduation rates.  As Nathan points out, many low-income students who had high math performance still didn’t complete college. The [...]

]]> By: Justin http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33347 Justin Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:30:30 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33347 Interesting, though the graph is mislabeled. What it calls "income" is really socioeconomic status which, according to the source document, is "a composite score on parental education and occupations, and family income". If income really describes most of the variation, it would be nice to see it alone, rather than in a composite score. Also, compare the above graph with the second graph in this post, http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/08/parental-income-and-educational-attainment.php, which shows a much smaller, though not insubstantial, income effect on college enrollment (not degree completion). Interesting, though the graph is mislabeled. What it calls “income” is really socioeconomic status which, according to the source document, is “a composite score on parental education and occupations, and family income”. If income really describes most of the variation, it would be nice to see it alone, rather than in a composite score.

Also, compare the above graph with the second graph in this post, http://yglesias.thinkprogress......inment.php, which shows a much smaller, though not insubstantial, income effect on college enrollment (not degree completion).

]]> By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33322 Nathan Yau Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:00:09 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33322 They used the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) to measure proficiency. The full report is here [PDF]: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005050.pdf But yeah, there's a disparity in quality of education I am sure. Slightly related, Act I of "This American Life": http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1311 They used the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) to measure proficiency. The full report is here [PDF]:

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2005/2005050.pdf

But yeah, there’s a disparity in quality of education I am sure. Slightly related, Act I of “This American Life”:

http://www.thisamericanlife.or.....sched=1311

]]> By: Phillip Alvelda http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33321 Phillip Alvelda Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:50:34 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33321 Hi Paul, Interesting stats. But if the study is based on grades, they do point to the likelihood that performance scores at lower-performing schools (where the economically challenged are concentrated) have lower standards, particularly in math. How well are the top students at the poorer schools really being prepared relative to the more affluent cohort? Hi Paul,

Interesting stats. But if the study is based on grades, they do point to the likelihood that performance scores at lower-performing schools (where the economically challenged are concentrated) have lower standards, particularly in math.

How well are the top students at the poorer schools really being prepared relative to the more affluent cohort?

]]> By: Travis Dahle http://flowingdata.com/2009/09/01/low-income-hinders-college-attendance-even-for-top-students/#comment-33318 Travis Dahle Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:53:53 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=2596#comment-33318 Good post Nathan. There are a lot of problems with kids in poverty and you pointed out a good one. This is why there is usually generational poverty. While we would like to think that upward mobility is a reality in the US, but for many poor students, regardless of ability, they just don't have that option or support to get to and stay in college (poverty is the debate topic for this year and I coach debate, so needless to say I've been researching this as well). Good post Nathan. There are a lot of problems with kids in poverty and you pointed out a good one. This is why there is usually generational poverty. While we would like to think that upward mobility is a reality in the US, but for many poor students, regardless of ability, they just don’t have that option or support to get to and stay in college (poverty is the debate topic for this year and I coach debate, so needless to say I’ve been researching this as well).

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