--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For students today, only 10 percent of…" description: "\"For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age of 24 as compared to 58 percent of upper-m..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg" --- # For students today, only 10 percent of children from… ![“For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age of 24 as compared to 58 percent of upper-middle-class and wealthy families.” quote by Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg) > “For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age of 24 as compared to 58 percent of upper-middle-class and wealthy families.” [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He points out the stark disparity in college graduation rates between working‑class and wealthier families, highlighting systemic inequality. **In simple terms:** Only 10% of working‑class kids graduate by 24, versus 58% of wealthier kids. Key Takeaway Address socioeconomic gaps in education. Themes education inequality social mobility Mood urgent hopeful Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - school counseling - scholarship programs - community outreach - legislative advocacy Key Concepts policy reform access to resources Questions to Reflect On - What policies could close the gap? - How can communities support working‑class students? A Different Perspective Changing statistics requires long‑term commitment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Class Families](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class-families-613923/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-age-529804/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Families Graduate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/families-graduate-5190560/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Graduates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduates/) [Graduation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/graduation/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-class/) [Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent/) [Percent Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-children-711314/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Upper middle class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upper-middle-class/) [Wealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealthy/) [Working class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-class/) ## Related quotes > [My parents started with very little and were the only ones in their families to graduate from college. As parents, they focused on education,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/my-parents-started-with-very-little-and-were-the-only-ones-in-their/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [Excellent Sheep is likely to makea lasting mark for three reasons. One, Mr. Deresiewicz spent twenty-four years in the Ivy League, graduating from Columbia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-garner/excellent-sheep-is-likely-to-makea-lasting-mark-for-three-reasons-one/) [Dwight Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-garner/) > [At college age, you can tell who is best at taking tests and going to school, but you can't tell who the best people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-college-age-you-can-tell-who-is-best-at-taking-tests-and-going-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a self-made man since I left college at the age of 18.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raj-kundra/i-m-a-self-made-man-since-i-left-college-at-the-age-of-18/) [Raj Kundra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raj-kundra/) > [I conceived in art college at the age of 20, near the end of term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/i-conceived-in-art-college-at-the-age-of-20-near-the-end-of-term/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [I've been playing music professionally, full time since 1980 when I graduated college at the age of 22.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-ve-been-playing-music-professionally-full-time-since-1980-when-i/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [After I dropped out of college at the age of 19, I became a mortgage broker, and when I went back to school I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dreger/after-i-dropped-out-of-college-at-the-age-of-19-i-became-a-mortgage/) [Alice Dreger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dreger/) > [When I enrolled in college at age 19, I had a total of eight years of formal classroom education. As a result, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-emeagwali/when-i-enrolled-in-college-at-age-19-i-had-a-total-of-eight-years-of/) [Philip Emeagwali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-emeagwali/) > [Middle-class families know education begins at birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-canada/middle-class-families-know-education-begins-at-birth/) [Geoffrey Canada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-canada/) > [Middle class families should not be forced to scrape by with less while oil companies get away with more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/middle-class-families-should-not-be-forced-to-scrape-by-with-less/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [Middle class families are struggling to send their sons and daughters to school. For many Americans, a college education is essential to future success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albio-sires/middle-class-families-are-struggling-to-send-their-sons-and-daughters/) [Albio Sires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albio-sires/) > [I've always believed that the things middle class families struggle with around their kitchen tables should define my work in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-peters/i-ve-always-believed-that-the-things-middle-class-families-struggle/) [Gary Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-peters/) > [Barack Obama and Joe Biden have been working hard to help middle-class families make it in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steny-hoyer/barack-obama-and-joe-biden-have-been-working-hard-to-help-middle/) [Steny Hoyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steny-hoyer/) > [I have a serious concern about middle-class families being able to afford college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/i-have-a-serious-concern-about-middle-class-families-being-able-to/) [Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/) > [I spent nearly two decades as a social worker and an educator with kids. So, my whole life has been about helping middle-class families.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyrsten-sinema/i-spent-nearly-two-decades-as-a-social-worker-and-an-educator-with/) [Kyrsten Sinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyrsten-sinema/) ## More by Patrick J. Kennedy > [Our contention is not that medication alone is the answer. We really need to have it in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/our-contention-is-not-that-medication-alone-is-the-answer-we-really/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [I am a recovering alcoholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/i-am-a-recovering-alcoholic/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [I see the policy of opposing same-sex marriages or unions, whatever you call it, as bigotry or discrimination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/i-see-the-policy-of-opposing-same-sex-marriages-or-unions-whatever/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [As the bill requires, any terror alert system must give people and organizations some indication about what steps they must take to improve their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/as-the-bill-requires-any-terror-alert-system-must-give-people-and/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [Terrorism is a psychological warfare. Terrorists try to manipulate us and change our behavior by creating fear, uncertainty, and division in society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/terrorism-is-a-psychological-warfare-terrorists-try-to-manipulate-us/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [If we do not provide education for every single American, we are consigning those without an education to second-class status.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/if-we-do-not-provide-education-for-every-single-american-we-are/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [People are going to keep getting prescribed medication that is counter to what their real disease state is, which is addiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/people-are-going-to-keep-getting-prescribed-medication-that-is/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [Americans have been given goals to achieve in Iraq, but not the standards by which to measure progress. And the only assurance Americans have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/americans-have-been-given-goals-to-achieve-in-iraq-but-not-the/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [We could have a budget that brings Americans together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/we-could-have-a-budget-that-brings-americans-together/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [You don't fight cancer with grants, or heart disease with grants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/you-don-t-fight-cancer-with-grants-or-heart-disease-with-grants/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [Procrastination is a sign of a perfectionist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/procrastination-is-a-sign-of-a-perfectionist/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [The key battleground in the war on terrorism, therefore, is in the minds of the American public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/the-key-battleground-in-the-war-on-terrorism-therefore-is-in-the/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [On the other hand, the American public possesses a great resilience and strength, and good risk communication strategies can tap into and even amplify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/on-the-other-hand-the-american-public-possesses-a-great-resilience/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [So if we are really concerned about generating more taxes, we ought to be investing in our people, not taking away the kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/so-if-we-are-really-concerned-about-generating-more-taxes-we-ought-to/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) > [Franklin Roosevelt said the test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance to those who have much; it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/franklin-roosevelt-said-the-test-of-our-progress-is-not-whether-we/) [Patrick J. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) [Explore all 33 Patrick J. Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age of 24 as compared to 58 percent of upper-middle-class and wealthy families.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick J. Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-children-from-working-class/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-children-from-working-class/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/659/patrick-j-kennedy-19273_age_for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-ch_2258906.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For students today, only 10 percent of children from working-class families graduate from college by the age…” — Patrick J. Kennedy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Patrick J. Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-j-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For students today, only 10 percent...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-children-from-working-class/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-j-kennedy/for-students-today-only-10-percent-of-children-from-working-class/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```