Does what college you go to determine success?

The truth is that a college degree is a required step of many careers, but not all. That being said, you can certainly be successful without a college degree — your skills and talents can get you hired. Find out exactly what skills are needed for your career path and work hard to excel in them.

Does college define your future?

If you’re a high school student, you’ll be relieved to know that this is a myth. Your college major does not determine all your future job opportunities. According to employment experts, focusing on developing transferable skills is more critical for students’ future careers than their choice of major.

Does going to an elite college make you successful?

While it’s difficult to prove that going to an elite college makes you successful, there’s a strong relationship between attending an elite school and being successful. On average, graduates from elite schools make more money, and degrees from many elite schools provide the best return on your college investment.

What happens to low-income students who go to elite colleges?

The low-income students who do end up at these elite institutions are often treated as homogeneous in both policy and the scholarly literature, as if they all navigate these schools in the same way. This is one of the most important contributions Jack has made with his research—disaggregating the experience of low-income students at elite colleges.

Do elite colleges impact professional outcomes?

They believe that graduating from a top college will allow them to have a more prosperous future. While it’s undeniable that elite colleges attract the highest caliber of student, there’s still debate about whether these colleges directly impact professional outcomes.

Who is doubly disadvantaged when it comes to elite colleges?

The doubly disadvantaged are students who arrive at these top institutions from neighborhood public schools, many of which are overcrowded and underfunded. They are schools where these students have excelled, but that are ill-equipped to give them the sociocultural tools necessary to understand the nuances of how these elite colleges operate.