
Is College Worth It?
Class and the Myth of the College Premium
Johns Hopkins University Press
Published on 11. June 2024
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-4214-4880-0 (ISBN)
Description
What is the true value of a college education?
In this thought-provoking book, acclaimed cultural critic and professor of literature Richard Ohmann and noted critical scholar and pedagogue Ira Shor challenge the widely accepted notion of the "college premium": the economic advantage associated with obtaining a college degree. The authors show how the idea of a college premium is often merely a myth that furthers the commercialization of education.
Drawing on historical analysis and keen insights, they expose the underlying neoliberal ideology that has transformed universities into vehicles for profit-driven corporations. They argue that the college premium confirms class hierarchies in the United States while claiming to apply to everyone. This compelling narrative uncovers the reshaping of our perception of the value of higher education. From the casualization of academic labor to the mounting burden of student debt, from the erosion of academic freedoms to the rise of vocational curricula, Ohmann and Shor connect the dots to illustrate how economic imperatives have influenced university life.
Is College Worth It? is a must-read for students, parents, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the future of education. Ohmann and Shor's erudite analysis challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on the true meaning and worth of a college education.
In this thought-provoking book, acclaimed cultural critic and professor of literature Richard Ohmann and noted critical scholar and pedagogue Ira Shor challenge the widely accepted notion of the "college premium": the economic advantage associated with obtaining a college degree. The authors show how the idea of a college premium is often merely a myth that furthers the commercialization of education.
Drawing on historical analysis and keen insights, they expose the underlying neoliberal ideology that has transformed universities into vehicles for profit-driven corporations. They argue that the college premium confirms class hierarchies in the United States while claiming to apply to everyone. This compelling narrative uncovers the reshaping of our perception of the value of higher education. From the casualization of academic labor to the mounting burden of student debt, from the erosion of academic freedoms to the rise of vocational curricula, Ohmann and Shor connect the dots to illustrate how economic imperatives have influenced university life.
Is College Worth It? is a must-read for students, parents, policymakers, and anyone concerned with the future of education. Ohmann and Shor's erudite analysis challenges conventional wisdom and offers a fresh perspective on the true meaning and worth of a college education.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Baltimore, MD
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 212 mm
Width: 129 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
390 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4214-4880-0 (9781421448800)
DOI
10.56021/9781421448800
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
06/2024
Johns Hopkins University Press
€33.99
Available for download
Persons
The late Richard Ohmann was an American literary critic and professor of English at Wesleyan University. Ira Shor is emeritus professor of English and urban education at the City University of New York.
Content
A Note on the Making of This Book
Preface. "Beauty of an Implied Collaboration," or How Dick Ohmann and I Made This Book
Ira Shor
Introduction. The Myth of the College Premium and Other Truisms of American Culture
Jeffrey J. Williams
Chapter 1. The Costs and Benefits of College Education
Chapter 2. Does Going to College Raise Lifetime Earnings?
Chapter 3. What Makes People "Well-Off"-or Not?
Chapter 4. Education for Jobs and Careers
Chapter 5. The Payoff of College Education for the United States
Chapter 6. At the End of the College Rainbow
Ira Shor
Notes
Index
Preface. "Beauty of an Implied Collaboration," or How Dick Ohmann and I Made This Book
Ira Shor
Introduction. The Myth of the College Premium and Other Truisms of American Culture
Jeffrey J. Williams
Chapter 1. The Costs and Benefits of College Education
Chapter 2. Does Going to College Raise Lifetime Earnings?
Chapter 3. What Makes People "Well-Off"-or Not?
Chapter 4. Education for Jobs and Careers
Chapter 5. The Payoff of College Education for the United States
Chapter 6. At the End of the College Rainbow
Ira Shor
Notes
Index