Week 13 Reading
Working during college can affect the educational experience of a student. If a student is constantly working long hours in a week, it can cause them to have a harder time to graduate and earn a degree. Working long hours can cause students to fall behind in their school work or even cause them to drop out. In the book, it stated that students that work more than 20 hours a week in their first year of college have a higher rate of dropping out. If students are working and they are still having a hard time making ends meet or paying for college, it may seem like college is not worth it. It may also be harder for a student to get more involved. Getting involved on campus is important because many employers look at the different extracurricular students have done outside of class. Also, joining clubs and activities is another way to build your network and make connections that may help in the future. However, it may be hard for a person to build up their resume and their network if they are constantly working and have no time.
Financial aid assumes that parents will support their children during college. However, this is not always the case. Many parents can not afford to pay for their children, and some of them rely on their children to help support them. I also feel as if colleges don’t realize that family dynamics are different. Some people grow up with a single parent. In the book, it stated that low-income parents have a harder time supporting their children in college. Also, students may also be living with their parents, but they are the ones who are paying for their own classes. When colleges estimate how much a student pays, they ask where they live. I live with my mom still, however, I am paying for college. When I first applied to college, I was having a hard time with financial aid because they need me to prove that I did not live with my dad and that he was not going to financially support me.
In the US, African Americans earn less than white people due to deeply rooted racism that has prevented many people from succeeding. This makes it harder for them to afford college. Milwaukee is one of the poorest and one most segregated cities in America. However, the price of public education is much higher in Milwaukee than it is anywhere in Wisconsin. Students in Milwaukee had a 19% higher net price than any other students in that state. Students in Milwaukee are also less often able to find a job and receive less work-study funds. Also in Milwaukee, 1 in 8 white residents live under the poverty line and 2 in 5 African Americans live below the poverty line. Schools that are made up of mostly white students recipe more funding and support than schools that have mostly African American students. We see this with schools in Philadelphia as well. CCP is known for not having a good reputation and it does not receive the funding or resources it needs.
