Comparative Demography of Higher Education

Introduction

Many countries around the world value education, some do not. Looking at certain reasons to why (besides cost) will give us better reasons on why not enrolling college is better for some people in other parts of the world, including US. Many factors come into play when it comes to education, including religious beliefs, cultural beliefs, and economic opportunities. First, encountering the demographical information of groups in a country or society is most important, which can be vital in determining our three key reasons, which are:

Social Classes

Groups of people who share similar positions in the stratification system. (Starks 642)

Stratification

The unequal distribution of rewards (or of things perceived as valuable) among members of a society; the class structure. (Starks 658) There are two main parts of the stratification system, achieved and ascribed status.

Achieved Status

A position gained on the basis of merit ( achievement). (Starks 658)

Ascribed Status

A position assigned to individuals or groups without regard for merit but because of certain traits beyond their control, such as race, sex or parental social standing.

The rate at which students are attending school is decreasing, but the number of millionaires in the world is steadily increasing. If you use your sociological imagination, that equals the better the economy does, the more students who will not attend school and decide to take other routes besides higher education.

The Opportunity Cost

A price someone must pay (or give up) in order to receive something of value in return. The opportunity cost of going to college can be very high for some, and very low for others. The cost of going to college is not all about money, its about time as well. Again opportunity cost is what you must give up in order to receive. So now, students are giving up possible money they could be making out in the work force, in order to make more in the long run.

General issues

Education around the world is a central way our universe can communicate with each other. General ideas of curriculum are a step in the right direction for the entire population. However, some cultures and societies decide not to take part in education and just feel there are other ways to fulfill a life time of opportunities. Does this make our economic growth as a world slow, or have no effect? Looking at the facts based on education participation in major countries around the world will tell us why education plays a vital role.

There are many reasons for one not to attend college, including beliefs, war, and economic failure in their economy. However the basis of this report is solely based on non-economical issues, they are impossible to avoid. Looking at social classes, culture, and levels of stratification will give people a better idea of education rates in different countries.

United States

First Facts

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in October of 2007 (school term) 21.1 million people between the ages of 16-24 were enrolled in higher education. Those 21.1 million make up only 56.2 percent of total population through the ages. Nearly 3.0 million graduated from high school the previous year. Referring to the same date, 16.4 million between ages 16-24 were not enrolled in school. Leaving a relatively large amount of young Americans un- educated or unemployed. These people can range in many different social classes, but mostly making up the lower class and lower middle class.

SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, [[1]]

Social Classes

Lower class would involve families that earn under 25,000 dollars per household annually. That range takes a hold 28.22 percent of our population in the year 2007. The lower middle class family will range anywhere from 25,000 dollars to 50,000 dollars (depending on number of members in household). [[2]]. The number of college students who range from these classes will be measured greatly to the portion of students who do not attend college. Much of the high school students who come from these classes can either not afford college, who are financially crippled during high school which can downgrade performance. If you cannot afford insurance, most of the time schools will not let you participate in extra- curricular events. Not participating in these activities can lower the participation rate in education. The amount of students who participate in activities is around 76 percent.

The lower income social classes can be found at the lower level of stratification ( achievement of awards). Taking the route of colleges involves an opportunity cost when it comes down to deciding how to spend the next four or more years of your life.

Stratification

The system of stratification has a major impact on our teenagers today. You could be a Paris Hilton or George Bush and achieve your fame from ascribed status from a family fortune. Or you could be the Michael Jordan, Mark Cuban, or a number of the many bands that make it big by working hard and achieve your status. Stratification can be every bit of someone's choice to attend college. If they already have fame and fortune, and to top it all are young, they will see no need to go to college, and they will not be a part of the labor force ( which includes people who are unemployed and currently NOT searching for a job). The rate at which students are attending school is decreasing, but the number of millionaires in the world is steadily increasing. If you use your sociological imagination, that equals the better the economy does, the more students who will not attend school and decide to take other routes besides higher education. As stated before, only roughly 56 percent of people between ages 16-24 participate in higher education. As students raise higher in the system towards ascribed status, they are less likely to complete high school and receive an actual diploma, The more students who seek to achieve their status, will go on to college and beyond. 26 percent of students who complete college will move onto further schooling. (Law, graduate, med etc.) The number of rewards received from higher education will effect the rate of participants in college. Remember, attending college is an opportunity cost. Which means there is something you must give up in order to get what you want.

The Opportunity Cost

The opportunity cost of going to college can be very high for some, and very low for others. The cost of going to college is not all about money, its about time as well. Again opportunity cost is what you must give up in order to receive. So now, students are giving up possible money they could be making out in the work force, in order to make more in the long run. The Average income for a non college grad, according to the 2006 US Census, was roughly 28,645 dollars/year. Compared to the much higher salary of just a bachelors degree recipient, which was 51,554 dollars/year. Making college a more beneficial opportunity to make money, the decision to attend might affect those who can only afford to take out loans. When the offer is presented to make money right out of high school, which is more appealing to some than attending a four year school and earning a degree, it will be hard to turn down.

United Kingdom

First Facts

Education is Britain is mandatory through the ages of 5 t 16. As in most countries, while most kids are educated in private schools. The total number of students who attend higher education in the UK is 2,387,525 students. That is an increase in 1 percent from 2006-2007. The enrollment in private schools, such as University of Aberdeen and the prestigious University of Cambridge, as risen seven percent. 57 percent of the first-degree earners in 06-07 were women. While students who born in Scotland and later attend Scotland Universities, have no tuition fees to pay at all. The idea of tuition in Scotland was Abolished in 2001.

Social Classes

Social classes in the UK can be divided in many ways. UK also is a very diverse area, 19 percent of higher education students were foreign. While 11 percent of those were Americans abroad. Which means interactions among foreign students is more likely to happen in the UK, considering there are less students than American Universities, even though American foreign enrollment is almost 30 percent higher. Having these foreign entities in the UK, will create more opportunity for social ties. No matter weak or strong, ties will help gain contacts throughout the world. While in Scotland, the possibility for weak ties is more likely, because citizenship and birth in the country will earn free tuition. Free tuition will less likely attract Scottish people away from Scottish universities, leaving them with very little additions of foreign students.

There were 17.1 million families in the UK fin 2006, which is up from 16 million ten years earlier. The annual income for a low class person from the ages of 16-24 years old is E8,130-E11,800. While the highest earning from ages 16-24 is E11,800, college will be very un-affordable for a student who is just starting. The yearly college tuition of the UK (besides Scotland) is around E3,140 per year. That is nearly 1/3 of a households income per year. How is the participation in education in the UK so high when income is right above the tuition? The answer all comes down to opportunity cost.

Stratification

The distribution of awards in the UK is equally unfair as it is in the United States and the rest of the world. In parts of the UK, such as Scotland, free tuition is awarded to only Scottish born residents who are attending a university. If you are a foreigner who attends a Scottish University with citizenship. Also the reward is much higher for attending college when it comes to earning money. Also, ascribed status is very vibrant in countries such as England, which is a monarchy. Having a monarchy system of government will praise any family to that of the King, Queen, Prince, or any connection to the family who has the thresh hold grab over the monarch.

Opportunity Cost

Remember, opportunity cost is what one must give up in order to receive something in value. In this case, UK residents (or foreigners) are giving up making money (in pounds E) to attend a private UK college. The annual income for a high school graduate member of the labor force is roughly E26,000, while a Bachelors Degree or more can earn you E45,000. That is almost close to double the amount of pounds in a year. The opportunity cost of not going to college in the UK us almost E18,000. The percentage of people per population who in the UK who go to college is the highest in the world. Mostly because the opportunity cost is so effective in making a decision of earning a higher degree in education.

Japan

Key Facts

Japan's population per land area is the most dense out of any country in the world. According to a July 2007 Census of Japan, there are 127,433,494 people on the main island. 63 percent of Japan's children who graduate secondary school (high school) go on to further education and studies. There are currently 80 million students attending school in Japan through the ages of 16-24. Only seventeen percent of those students go on to higher education. An astonishing fact that was uncovered in the July 2007 Census, is that unemployment fell from 4 percent to 3.8 percent. Many questions have arose to how this has happened per students not attending post secondary school.

Technology

For this section of Japan, devotion to technology availability will substitute for a main reason education is the way it is. The standard of living in Japan can be about the same for both college and secondary school (high school) graduates. The rise in technological education has forgone standard post secondary education. Instead of students attending school, they are more likely to have their skill be sent to work due to the increase in demand for new technology.

others. . .

Facts

Nearly 85 percent of the worlds population has undergone some form of education. That figures out to around 4 billion people. However, the role of poverty, war, and economic disparity in some countries have limited education to many that are in deserving. There are countries where stratification is not even a problem, everyone has the same quality of living and same economical situation. Social classes differ as well as beliefs. The opportunity cost is much lower that going to school. You basically give up nothing to go to school. The world economy reflects itself away from this, focusing on who is educated, rather than who needs to be educated, as you can tell by the number. The economic statistics show how much we can produce per hour of work (productivity). For some, the productivity level is much higher. For those who do not complete schooling, the income and productivity levels speak for themselves.

Conclusion

After further research, the discovery has been found that there are three key reasons to attending higher education around the world. The recap of the three are social classes, the system of stratification, and the simple opportunity cost. Many similarities have been found in three political powers in the world. That they each suffer the same effects from stratification, social classes and the opportunity cost. However, these three factors do not tell the whole story, they do provide a brief summary and lay a setting of further conclusions to be found by different areas of study on higher education.

References

"Sociology" 10th Edition, Rodney Stark. cop. 2007

United States Labor Statistics- Bureau of Labor Statistics [www.bls.org]

United Kingdom Education Statistics- [www.heca.com]

Japanese labor Statistics- July 2006 Japan Census

World Population Statistics- Bureau of Labor Statistics [www.bls.org]