猫咪社区

Social mobility is what the American dream is based upon 鈥� the idea that hard work can improve your economic circumstances. Education as social mobility is a key part of that, but research shows that听.

The United States is not a meritocracy, and operating as though it is one is detrimental to the accessibility of economic opportunities for low-income families. SAT/ACT tests are good examples of the harm of this meritocracy myth. While they are meant to objectively test intelligence, these听. The tests are culturally biased, and students from wealthy families have access to expensive test prep services that are sure to increase their scores.听

猫咪社区 stands by its principles to be culturally competent and accessible to all types of students, ranking #1 in CollegeNET’s Social Mobility Index Report for universities in Maine.

What Is Social Mobility In Education?

Social mobility is changing one鈥檚 social and/or economic status. When we talk about social mobility within a society, we are referring to how accessible increased economic status is to low-income families. Historically in the US, higher education has been a key factor for social mobility. However, today,听听There remain many barriers to social mobility in educational systems:

• The cost of college and living expenses
• High student loan interest rates
• Standardized test score requirements
• Significant disparities in K-12 education quality听

The Role Of Higher Education In Social Mobility

Social mobility and education go hand in hand.听听than those without 鈥� $765,000 more on average in their lifetime. They are also exposed to new people, new ideas, and new opportunities. However, unless the barriers to higher education are addressed, a bachelor鈥檚 degree will remain out of reach for many young people from low-income families.听

As of 2023, students coming from families in the top 1% of the income distribution are听听than other students. Wealth听should听not听be a factor in college admissions. Effective programs and initiatives that promote social mobility and education are needed. For example, a paper in the听听found that small college class sizes decrease student dropout rates, and since, smaller class sizes could better support these students.

猫咪社区 has a 31% first-generation student population and flexible start dates all year.听

The Economic Perspective On Education As Social Mobility

Higher education can lead to better job opportunities and higher income, thereby contributing to upward social mobility. Keep in mind that social mobility in education is not about a short-term increase in income. It鈥檚 about a generational increase in status and access. That鈥檚 why we use lifetime earnings to measure education and social mobility.听

Estimated lifetime earnings based on education level:

Source:听

Higher Education鈥檚 Return On Investment

Investment in higher education pays off in the long run. Even with the rising costs of tuition,听听(ROI) 鈥� up to 35.9% according to some economists. ROI is calculated by determining how much money the college degree costs versus how much the individual will make because they earned the degree.听

While every degree doesn鈥檛 offer the same level of ROI,听听is expected to increase in the next ten years, making an investment in an environmental university a smart financial decision.

Unity offers听career development听to help students maximize their ROI.

Beyond Economic Gains: The Holistic Impact

Young people who engage in high-quality schooling tend to grow into听听than those who do not. And education as social mobility isn’t just about individual gains; it鈥檚 beneficial to communities in numerous ways. According to a听, higher education can:

• Increase civic engagement
• Decrease crime rates
• Increase concern for the environment
• Create more diverse social networks

猫咪社区 recognizes the value of these non-economic impacts of higher education, which is why we use a holistic, innovative approach to education. As one example of this value in action, Unity was the first university to divest from fossil fuels.

Building Social Capital

A听听found that young people who have social capital with people from different economic statuses are more likely to achieve increased social mobility. College is a great place to build strong connections with people from high-income families through informal friendships or official networking events. Economically diversifying their social network will create new social and economic opportunities for low-income students.

How 猫咪社区 Is Making A Difference

In 2024, 猫咪社区 was , and now enrolls over 10,000 students from all 50 states, 2 U.S. territories, and 22 countries. Unity was also ranked the number one school in Maine for social mobility by , placing it in the top 1% of universities nationwide. This shows that our efforts to promote equity have made a difference.

We have found that the biggest pain point of higher education and social mobility is finding affordable and accessible education. Therefore, we focus on efforts to make college more affordable and accessible. Here鈥檚 how we do it:

• With over two dozen completely online bachelor鈥檚 degree programs, students can study without having to leave their community. This means no travel costs or additional living expenses.听
• Our听unique academic structure听allows students to focus on one class at a time. Each course is five weeks long. This is beneficial to students who are working full-time and/or taking care of family members as they may not have the capacity to juggle multiple courses at once.听
• Distance learning students do not pay any unnecessary fees. The only costs are tuition, books, and a $100 graduation fee.听
• To make our admissions as equitable as possible, we do not require standardized test scores from any applicants.听
• We use an听Enterprise Model听for effective leadership to meet the changing needs of students and society as a whole.听

Give To 猫咪社区 Scholarships To Help Us Continue Fostering Social Mobility

Funding continues to be a barrier to low-income students attending and graduating from college. In our听strategic plan, Unity鈥檚 number one goal is to serve audiences through engagement with the university and its mission in response to clearly identified needs. Increased access for low-income students is one of those clearly identified needs. By giving to 猫咪社区 Scholarships, you can provide an equality of opportunity where there was not one previously.听