Topic: Tuition

The author explains that a degree from an Ivy League school is worth significantly more than one from a state university, creating a permanent class divide. He notes that only 3% of students at the top 146 colleges come from the bottom quarter of income earners, and many of those are athletes. Jeffries argues that the high cost of tuition and fees makes these institutions inaccessible to even the traditional middle class, serving primarily to preserve the status of the wealthy.