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The shifting patterns of college attendance

• Bostonian 6y ago
  "By 1960, the pattern reversed. The top performing students (light blue bars) in each family group are much more likely to attend university than weaker students. And while socioeconomic status still mattered, it was not the determining factor. The authors go on to lay out a theory for why this happened. They say rising demand for higher education and the introduction of standardized tests led to institutional stratification, making college more attractive to high-ability students and less attractive to weaker ones, regardless of their family background." Standardized tests are often criticized, but they have had some positive effects.