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Current Approaches in InvestigatingInequalities in Access to Postsecondary Education
Presented by Iria PuyosaNovember 10, 2005
 
Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................3I. The Problem of Inequalities in Access to PSE ..........................................................81) Access to PSE in the United States.......................................................................82) Financial Barriers and Academic Deficits............................................................103) Importance of Equal Opportunities in PSE Access .............................................14II. Brief Overview of Major Theories Addressing PSE Access...................................161) Rational Choice Theory: No Information Asymmetries? .....................................162) Social Reproduction Theory: No Room for Upward Mobility?.............................183) Status Attainment Theory: No Extra-familial Resources?....................................20III. Fundamental Concepts in Social Capital Theory ...................................................211) Major Approaches to Social Capital in the Sociology Literature..........................212) Toward a Social Capital Explanation of Inequalities in Access to PSE...............28IV. Research on PSE Access Using Social Capital Theory ........................................341) Conceptualizing Social Capital in Postsecondary Education Literature..............362) Modeling Approaches in Researching Social Capital Effects on PSE Access....423) Findings on social capital effects on postsecondary education access ..............52V. Limitations in Using Social Capital Theory in PSE Access Research ....................571) Avoiding Social Capital Conceptual Tautologies.................................................572) Developing Robust Testable Social Capital Postulates ......................................583) Developing Reliable Social Capital Measures.....................................................59VI. Directions for Further Research ............................................................................621) Framework for Analyzing Social Capital Effects in PSE Access.........................622) Directions for Future Research in Social Capital Effects on PSE Access ..........642
 
Introduction
Inequality in access to postsecondary education is arguably the most criticalissue in educational public policy (Heller 2001; St. John 2004). In the United States, theoverall gap in postsecondary education participation rates between the highest and thelowest income quintiles is roughly 40% for the high school class of 1992 (Baum andPayea 2004). Additionally, gaps in college participation between young White adultsand marginalized ethnic groups persist (Measuring Up, 2004).Postsecondary education access inequalities carry economic, political, and socialconsequences. Foremost among the economic consequences is the income gapbetween high school graduates and college graduates has increased significantly over time. Postsecondary education graduates higher levels of civic participation andvolunteering is one the most important political consequences (Langelett 2002;Kingston, Hubbard et al. 2003; Baum and Payea 2004). Additionally, research suggeststhat postsecondary education changes peoples attitudes from accepting the status quotoward taking initiative to build a more prosperous and equitable society (Pascarella andTerenzini, 1991; Langelett 2002).Given the importance of the subject, is not surprising that several theories havebeen used to explain why there are differences in postsecondary education access.Most researchers have built their conceptual frameworks on one of the followingtheories: rational choice, social reproduction, or status attainment. An emergingtheoretical approach is social capital theory, which provides a conceptual framework for 
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