A Change of Perspective

Weekly Reading 9.19.14- Alicia Bingen
Focused through the article, “How College Access is Increasing Inequality and What to do about it” by Carnevale and Strohl, the point of education’s purpose is brought up. According to their findings the “American” way of looking at an education is different from most other societies. In America education is seen as “using education to allocate opportunity” (83). While this is a rewarding, and quite individualistic mindset, I’m not sure if I fully agree. My liberal education hear hasn’t only bought me opportunities, it has taught me to further understand the opportunities that I am capable of having. It is simply a change of perspective. It seems that this change in perspective is something that Carnevale and Strohl are introducing. They talk of a college and funding program that is more dependent on prospective graduation rates (so, a student’s potential) rather than their standardized test scores (85). A student who is focused on their future, regardless of how they test, is an ambition that cannot be defined; a type of “understanding of opportunity” as I mentioned initially. Oreopoulos and Petonijevic bring this up also when discussing all the differing perspectives that one must consider when choosing a college and major. It is not simply what they can afford (though, a tremendous impact), it is someplace that they feel they can prosper, a place where opportunities are not simply thrown at students, a place where students engage with their opportunities (56). The “College Access” article calls for more counseling, effective remediation, and simply financial aid support, something Oreopoulous adn Petonijevic would surely consider as being important. These things are not tangible or economically oriented, (though that is no doubt, important), but it is a change of perspective, a change of heart. A place where opportunities are because of an education.