Race and Class Matters at an Elite College

by Elizabeth Aries

Book by Aries, Elizabeth

Genres: Education, College, Sociology, Nonfiction

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A one year study following 58 students of various class and race at Amherst College in the mid 2000s. A small survey population to be sure.

I found the conclusion lacking: "most [students] had quite positive feelings about their experience on campus and had been able to deal effectively with the difficulties that confronted them." Along with a statement that "lower-income and/or black students faced many more challenges than affluent whites in becoming part of a predominantly affluent white academic community". How does that differ from any other young person especially minority students along this those who skip college and go directly into the workforce?

It is worth reading? It doesn't say anything new or different than other studies. Nor does it show how an elite college setting is more or less fraught than other educational institutions.

I would have liked to see a follow-up with these students at the end of their college tenure before graduating and then another interview with them several years afterwards to see what lasting impact their ideas, beliefs and actions had.

I thought Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture by T. Williams was more interesting and in-depth look at how race effected his life to date.
See also: Mismatch: How Affirmative Action Hurts Students It's Intended to Help, and Why Universities Won't Admit It by Sander and Taylor. And Top Student, Top School? How Social Class Shapes Where Valedictorians Go To College by A Radford.

[Teniell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book summarizes a qualitative study of 58 first-year students attending Amherst College in 2005-2006. The author does a good job of summarizing the experiences and challenges of students, while using direct quotes from students to further explain experiences in their own words.

I learned a lot from this book, and found that many of the experiences of low-income students resonated with my own experiences as a college student. A very interesting and worthwhile read.

[Joshua Evan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very helpful knowledge base for my work at a small, private liberal arts college. Practical content that I've seen in action at my institution. A necessary read for most anyone in higher education, especially in small, private colleges.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my kind of book. Read it for work.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am probably going to use some chapters from this book in a course with first year students to get some conversations going about race and class. I think it'll be a good fit for this purpose.