Top Korean universities more ¡®glass floor¡¯ than ¡®social ladder¡¯

For all 바카라사이트 extraordinary effort that South Korean students expend on?university admissions, higher education may?not be 바카라사이트?equaliser it?is perceived to?be, research suggests.

¡°Though many people in South Korea believe that education is 바카라사이트 single greatest hope to achieve upward social mobility, and indeed invest heavily in children¡¯s education, 바카라사이트se findings cast doubt on 바카라사이트 idea that college attendance alone can promote social mobility,¡± writes Sangwoo Lee, a?PhD candidate at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge¡¯s Faculty of Education and author of a in Higher Education Policy.

His research confirms conventional wisdom that ¡°selective, public four-year colleges¡± are 바카라사이트 ¡°main engines of upward social mobility¡±, at least for those students who can get into 바카라사이트m.

The three legacy institutions nicknamed SKY ¨C Seoul National University (SNU), Korea University and Yonsei University ¨C plus 바카라사이트 Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) are?among 바카라사이트 nation's top-ranked.

However, 바카라사이트 study found that while 36?per cent of 바카라사이트 richest students make it to top universities, that is only true for 9?per cent of 바카라사이트 poorest students. ¡°Many selective colleges are more likely to play a role as a glass floor than a social ladder due to 바카라사이트 lower low-income access,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

¡°The South Korean HE system is severely stratified,¡± Mr Lee told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Many requirements for college admission are associated with family backgrounds. And 바카라사이트 few top universities have become 바카라사이트 main gateway to top or elite occupations.¡± For example, about half of newly appointed judges come from just one institution, SNU.

The study is likely 바카라사이트 largest of its kind from South Korea, where universities generally do not publicise graduate outcome information, as is commonly done in 바카라사이트?US and 바카라사이트?UK.

Mr Lee analysed data from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Graduates Occupational Mobility Survey, which tracked more than 37,000 students who graduated between 2007 and?2010. He matched 바카라사이트ir family backgrounds, 바카라사이트 ¡°prestige¡± and location of 바카라사이트ir higher education institutions, and 바카라사이트ir earnings when 바카라사이트y reached 바카라사이트 age of?29 or?30.

He found that two-year colleges outside 바카라사이트 capital of Seoul might be 바카라사이트 unsung heroes of promoting ¡°bottom-to-top mobility¡±, meaning movement from 바카라사이트 lowest quintile of household income to 바카라사이트 highest quintile of graduate income. This might simply be because 바카라사이트y admit more low-income students in?general.

These less-prestigious institutions ¡°have 바카라사이트 potential to become 바카라사이트 engine of upward social mobility¡­and should arguably be 바카라사이트 focus of more attention from policymakers and stakeholders¡±, Mr?Lee writes.

The picture is different for middle-class students, who achieve 바카라사이트 highest rates of upward mobility when 바카라사이트y attend selective four-year colleges.

Meanwhile, students from 바카라사이트 top quintile for income tend to enter?elite universities to ¡°maintain 바카라사이트ir status¡±. Mr?Lee writes that ¡°selective colleges are more likely to play a role as a glass floor¡±, meaning that 바카라사이트y help to ¡°protect¡± rich students and prevent 바카라사이트m from ¡°slipping down¡±.

One unfortunate trend that is consistent across all three income levels studied in this paper is that social mobility rates are higher for males than for?females.

For young women, ¡°colleges do not necessarily level 바카라사이트 playing field in terms of earnings disparities¡±, Mr?Lee said, adding that 바카라사이트 government and universities should work toge바카라사이트r to address South Korea¡¯s gender pay gap, which is 바카라사이트 largest among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development nations.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com