FYE 101 - What Good is College?

We will explore the different ways people think about college, as well as whether college is equally good for everyone who attends. In the U.S., people have long idealized higher education as a meritocracy, offering opportunities for upward social mobility for any student with the drive, intelligence, and desire to succeed. But, is it possible that the way college is organized benefits some people more than others?

Using tools from sociology, education, and history, we will explore these issues by asking three questions:

What is college good for? (What are its purposes? Who should attend? Who should pay for it?)
For whom is college good? (Does every student have an equal chance to succeed? Does success mean the same thing for each student?)
How is college good? (How do colleges approach their work? How do they know if they’re succeeding?)

Credits 1

Compass Attributes
First Year Experience