Lexington Books
Pages: 224
Trim: 6⅜ x 9½
978-0-7391-3441-2 • Hardback • September 2011 • $128.00 • (£98.00)
978-0-7391-3443-6 • eBook • August 2011 • $121.50 • (£94.00)
Lan Gao is a senior project analyst in Institutional Research, the Office of the Provost at Harvard University.
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Literature Review and Empirical Research
Chapter 3. Models of Student College Choice
Chapter 4. Social Stratification and Higher Education Opportunities in China
Chapter 5. Research Design
Chapter 6. Introduction of Wuhu and the Two High Schools
Chapter 7. Fuzhong High School Students
Chapter 8. Nancheng High School Students
Chapter 9. Cross Case Analysis
Chapter 10. Findings, Limitations, and Implications
As China, like many other countries, seeks to improve the quality of education for its citizens and long-term economic sustainability, it is important to have research to inform critical decisions. This study highlights key factors related to college-going, and I am hopeful that it will inform the design of policies aimed to increase both access and opportunity. Although the study examines China specifically, some of the implications can be applied to other cultures and nations worldwide.
— Michelle Asha Cooper, President of the Institute for Higher Education Policy
The book includes detailed yet concise literature reviews covering major theories and studies related to cultural capital and college choice, as well as changing social stratification, educational systems, and financial assistance policies in China…. The strength of this study also lies in Gao’s careful application of cultural capital theory in Chinese contexts…. To conclude, this landmark study is a welcome addition to studies of cultural capital, educational inequality, and social stratification. Gao’s work reminds us that it is critical to reassess the meaning and the role of cultural capital in relation to a nation’s educational system and cultural contexts when examining this elusive concept.
— American Journal of Sociology