Individual Written Argument:

I believe socioeconomic status plays a huge factor for minorities once in college because
of a study by the University of Chicago and several other factors. The University of Chicago's
study examined the importance of the gender/ethnic gaps of colleges graduates of freshman in
the year of 1999 intending 24 selective predominantly white institutions. The study then
accounted for the factors that account for observed gaps. The study stated that the combination of
gender, race, and socioeconomic status affects college outcomes. The study also stated that the
combinations affect college students when they interact with one another. The study then began
to condense to a study just on Black and Latino students. The study then went on to prove to that
the gender gap in degree attainment was much more likely after considering socioeconomic
status. However, for Latino students the study suggested that when socioeconomic status was
narrowed down it became less important. The study also concluded that Black students had a 6-
year college graduation rates while for Black females graduation rate was significantly lower due
to having a mother in the household. However, no socioeconomic gap existed when there was a
mother in the household.
To further support my claim, I have conducted some outside research to further my point.
And through my outside research I have found that students with low socioeconomic status have
not received sufficient attention to help further their education. The policymakers just fail to help
them due to lack of group identity and political mobilization. Due to that inability low
socioeconomic status students are not becoming motivated to achieve well in college. That is in
part to there is not equal enough opportunity for their social mobility. The habits from low
socioeconomic status background leads to students having lower goals and predispose him or her
to use strategies in education that are usually less successful in attaining the desired social
profits. This all in turns leads to students having an unequal chance of making good choices that
will result in continuing of their lowering of social position. Low socioeconomic status students
are also less inclined, to work in college, get grades higher than Bs, spend time in clubs, or spend
16+hours of studying during the week (Graph represents this data at the end of essay).
Low socioeconomic status also affects college attendance. Studies have shown that there
are disparities in high school and college completion rates according to ones family
socioeconomic status. More research has also indicated that people from low socioeconomic
status households and communities develop academic skills more slowly compared to others.
This is very crucial considering that initial academic skills are directly correlated to ones home
environment, where little to none literacy environment lead to chronic stress and affect pre
academic skills. The school systems are also to blame for low socioeconomic status. That is
because schools in those areas are often underprepared(under resourced) this in-turns affects
students academic progress, which will further to stunt students growth leading all the way into
college. Insufficient education and increased dropout rates affect academic achievement. To
correct this the only way is to improve school systems. Improving school systems will reduce all
the other factors causing students to have stunned academic growth. More research has also
found that low economic status parents lack the funds to financially prepare their kids for school.
Parents lack a sufficient amount of books to help students at a young age develop adequate
reading strategies. The parents also lack computers and tutors which would also help create a
positive literacy environment. Students in low income areas are also less likely to have teachers
that are as qualified to compare to high income areas. To fix that we could improve teaching and
learning, and try to create a rich-environment (thats a stretch) to improve students academic
progression. Students from lower income areas as well struggle to obtain proper language skills.
Due to that, students acquire language skills more slowly than usually, and later in life exhibit
delayed letter recognition and are at a huge risk for reading difficulties. The complete opposite
however is shown in high income areas where students for the most part easily obtain the
necessary language skills. There is increasing evidence that students that have low economic
status have more of a chance of having learning disabilities and negative psychological outcomes
that will hurt their academic achievements. The statistics show that students from low
socioeconomic status have twice the chance of displaying learning-related behavior problems
when compared to high socioeconomic status students. And mothers that are in low
socioeconomic status are less inclined to give her child attention, interest, and also have a lack of
care in regards to their school work. And also identifying as a low economic student, the feelings
of not belonging emerge, and the dropout of school rates begin to skyrocket. That is because of
students thoughts of having family economic stress and personal financial constraints, which can
lead to the lack of care and depression within school walls. However, the best way to prevent all
of these things from happening is to get involved in communities. Make sure you stay up to date
on current reports. Make every effort to establish proper practice opportunities for students in
community settings. And continue to research on the educational and societal barriers low
socioeconomic status students will continue to face in their lifetime.
 Works Cited:
"Socioeconomic Status and College: How SES Affects College Experiences and Outcomes."
Socioeconomic Status and College: How SES Affects College Experiences and Outcomes. N.p.,
n.d. Web. <http://www.shirleymohr.com/JHU/Sample_Articles_JHUP/RHE_2003_27_1.pdf>.