EP 753 College is Actually a Great Equalizer: We’ll Explain

There is a fact that is so surprising that it borders on being unbelievable.  Research indicates that students from disadvantaged and advantaged class backgrounds who graduate from the same college go on to earn the same amount of money.  Our guest, Duke sociology professor, Jessi Streib, author of “The Accidental Equalizer: How Luck Determines Pay After College”, posits according to her research. Sociologist Michael Hout goes further in concluding that “college graduation cancels the effects of background status.”  So for those who can afford all of the educational enhancement activities and extracurricular functions, starting at birth to 3, when it comes to the workplace, and in this case the business majors studied, luck plays an even greater role in determining the pay a college graduate can expect.  In practice no one can prepare an otherwise advantaged candidate college graduate for a job interview that will lead to a better result than disadvantaged graduates.  Do you still need to be convinced?  Take a listen to this podcast as we explore the rationale for what Professor Streib calls  ‘luckocracy’ at work.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download