The Inequality Machine: How universities are creating a more unequal world - and what to do about it

Indelible and extraordinary, a powerful reckoning with just how far we've allowed reality to drift from our ideals.' Tara Westover, New York Times Book Review We're told that universities are our greatest driver of social mobility. But it's a lie. The Inequality Machine is a damning exposé of how the university system ingrains injustice at every level of American society. Paul Tough, bestselling author of How Children Succeed, exposes a world where small-town colleges go bust, while the most prestigious raise billions every year; where overstretched admissions officers are forced to pick rich candidates over smart ones; where black and working-class students are left to sink or swim on uncaring campuses. Along the way, he uncovers cutting-edge research from the academics leading the way to a new kind of university - one where students succeed not because of their background, but because of the quality of their minds. The result is a call-to-arms for universities that work for everyone, and a manual for how we can make it happen. 'Humanizes the process of higher education . . . Fascinating stories about efforts to remediate class disparities in higher education' New Yorker Product description Review Indelible and extraordinary, a powerful reckoning with just how far we’ve allowed reality to drift from our ideals. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of higher education to the present moment. ― Tara Westover, New York Times Book Review A readable kiss-and-tell study . . . Tough finds that higher education, which has the potential to increase upward mobility, has become an obstacle that perpetuates social rigidity. The poor remain poor and the rich get richer . . . this study is laced with deep anger. ― Times Higher Education Humanizes the process of higher education . . . Fascinating stories about efforts to remediate class disparities in higher education ― New Yorker In this fascinating study, education journalist Tough argues persuasively that access to an elite college education, which in the US is popularly believed to be a meritocratically distributed social equalizer, is in fact distributed in ways that reinforce existing economic divisions . . . This well-written and persuasive book is likely to make a splash. ― Publishers Weekly [Tough] writes movingly about students who are trying to navigate the confounding, expensive, and intimidating process of getting into and staying in college. ― WIRED About the Author Paul Tough’s previous book, How Children Succeed, spent more than a year on the New York Times hardcover and paperback bestseller lists and was translated into 27 lan­guages. He is a contributing writ­er to the New York Times Magazine and a reg­ular contributor to the public-radio programme This American Life. You can learn more about his work at paultough.com and follow him on Twitter: @paultough.