"College for All" Rhetoric in Scholarship and 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidates' Platforms

• In Event: A National Agenda for Student Access and Success

Abstract

We conduct a systematic review of “college for all” literature utilizing methods outlined by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We offer a synthesis of the arguments in favor and against “college for all” across 42 peer-reviewed articles. We compare these arguments with those offered in education briefs within the presidential platforms of individuals vying for the 2020 presidential candidacy for the Democratic Party. We suggest the tenuous link between scholarly journal articles informing political platforms pertaining to the “college for all” phenomenon. Preliminary analyses indicate a mismatch between CfA rhetoric in scholarly circles and those employed by prospective presidential candidates.

Authors

• Kathy Chau Rohn, Boston College

• Andrés Castro Samayoa, Boston College