a partner at Student Monitor, a college market research firm, suggests that the experience-not the completion of graduation requirements-is what changes a person's perceptions and behavior. Himmelfarb says that interests in cultural affairs, the arts, and media are formed early in the college years and persist into later life. Of course, there are differences: College grads are more likely to serve on the boards of hospitals and charitable institutions; those without degrees are more likely to sit on the board of a church. Grads are more likely to play billiards and board games; non-grads are more likely to collect sports trading cards. But Roper Starch Worldwide did research that indicates that for all their confidence, people with some college are significantly less sophisticated consumers of financial services. Although they are more likely than less-educated consumers to say that their levels of savings are higher than a year ago (22 percent vs. 17 percent for high school grads and 13 percent for high school dropouts), they are far less likely to say so than college graduates (35 percent). (Going the Distance 5)The overall issue of the growth of inequality in economic outcomes is one that will most likely remain with us for a while to come. For the time being it seems like the best course of action is to get people into, and through colleges (Irons 3). The price of not going to college is even high than the price of tuition (Irons 3). Better working environments and larger incomes are worth the extra 4-8 years in school....
