A vigorous argument against the entrenchment of elite interests in the nation’s higher-education system ... A strong argument for educational reform at every level in order to make schooling truly equitable.
... [a] detailed yet disappointing polemic ... Though the authors’ indictment of the 'market forces' driving stratification is valid, and their discussions of historical developments (including the implementation of the S.A.T. as a screening tool) can be illuminating, their dismissal of the majority of American colleges as 'underfunded dropout factories' grates—and reveals their own elitism. The book’s reform proposals, including the worthy idea to extend guaranteed public education from 12 to 14 years, are more conjectures than actionable plans. This well-intentioned critique misses the mark.
