The Inequality Machine: How College Divides Us

Paul Tough

Sep 2019 · HarperCollins

About this ebook

First published as The Years That Matter Most

From best-selling author Paul Tough, an indelible and explosive book on the glaring injustices of higher education, including unfair admissions tests, entrenched racial barriers, and crushing student debt. Now updated and expanded for the pandemic era.

When higher education works the way it’s supposed to, there is no better tool for social mobility—for lifting young people out of challenging circumstances and into the middle class and beyond. In reality, though, American colleges and universities have become the ultimate tool of social immobility—a system that secures a comfortable future for the children of the wealthy while throwing roadblocks in the way of students from struggling families.
 
Combining vivid and powerful personal stories with deep, authoritative reporting, Paul Tough explains how we got into this mess and explores the innovative reforms that might get us out. Tough examines the systemic racism that pervades American higher education, shows exactly how the SATs give an unfair advantage to wealthy students, and guides readers from Ivy League seminar rooms to the welding shop at a rural community college. At every stop, he introduces us to young Americans yearning for a better life—and praying that a college education might help them get there.
 
With a new preface and afterword by the author exposing how the coronavirus pandemic has shaken the higher education system anew.​

Ratings and reviews

Nothing good about liberal education but the opposite it teaches lies,antlwhlte hate,and not the whole truth about history. Also ignoring facts about,ProfTonyMartin,teaches who was really resp of having slvery. Also ignoring EuropeanSolutreans,andWhlteSIavery. Liberal education brings up criminals that support openborders and the destruction of civilization and nationalists which is treasonous. The ones doing this should be prosecuted and bringing up ignorant students praising C o m m les,to who done crimes against the people in the past while few t y r a n t s on top benefited!!

I can't be too critical as a reader since I haven't read consistently in years, but the perspective given by Tough is thoughtful and enlightening. I myself am still on my academic journey and found many of the stories and students experiences incredibly relatable. I think Tough's core message is that education isn't something that should be exclusive and strictly for the fortunate, but a device for social and economic movement for all. But it is not working as it should right now, and it is in dire need of change.

About the author

PAUL TOUGH is the author of Helping Children Succeed and How Children Succeed, which spent more than a year on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestseller lists and was translated into twenty-eight languages. He is also the author of Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada’s Quest to Change Harlem and America. He is a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine and a regular contributor to the public radio program This American Life. You can learn more about his work at paultough.com and follow him on Twitter: @paultough.