Educational Attainment and Upward Mobility: Prospects for Filipino Americans

Abstract

Education was once considered as “the great equalizer,” the means by which those who were economically or socially disadvantaged could increase their life chances and improve their station. Today, the notion of education as the key factor in upward mobility is not so easily accepted. kr example, Lipset and Bendix, and Blau and Duncan have shown the importance of education in achieving high social and occupational status and income, and Nachmias gives evidence that higher levels of education increase one’s chances for power and prestige.’ On the other hand, the studies of Coleman, Gintis, and Jencks throw doubts on the dominance of education over other factors affecting mobility.2 Although there is debate around education and status attainment, the controversy seems to revolve not so much on whether education is important, as on whether it is dominant in determining social mobility or status attainment. This paper takes the position that education may not be the “great equalizer” it was once purported, but it can, and often does, increase one’s opportunities. United States census statistics show that additional years of schooling result in increased earnings, although the size of the increment varies among different population groups. This paper will review education and social mobility in relation to Filipinos in the United States. What factors affect the educational aspirations of Filipino high school seniors is the focus of a survey conducted by the author. From this study, recommendations to increase the educational participation and level of Filipino Americans will be offered.