Russell Sage Publishes Study on the Problems of Parents Funding College Education
More parents today are financially supporting — and paying more — for their children’s college education, but that development also might be exacerbating economic inequality, according to a new study by a University of Kansas professor.
“Young adults from families in the top quarter of the wealth distribution received more than eleven times more money for school than those in the bottom half,” said Emily Rauscher, a KU assistant professor of sociology. “What makes this a concern is that financial support from parents for education is associated with higher socioeconomic outcomes, including income, education, and wealth. A key takeaway is that parental financial support for education is one way in which economic inequality is passed between generations. Parental wealth matters for a variety of child outcomes, and the findings of this study suggest that it matters even in young adulthood.”
The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences recently published Rauscher’s findings...