For many families, the idea that a higher education for themselves or their children will automatically improve their social or economic status is common. In many situations this may be the case, however it is not universal. Furthermore, many factors come into play when analyzing how intergenerational mobility occurs or does not occur. Some of these factors include existing social class, field of study, college and advanced degrees, race or gender, institution selection, and parental resources. The overall hypothesis of this study is “Is a college degree still the great equalizer?” This question was the source of the study by Florencia Torche of New York University. By using different cohort groups and conducting various survey methods, this study was able to measure the effects of certain university degrees (e.g. bachelor's degree versus advanced degrees, field of study, etc.) in relation to various aspects of intergenerational mobility such as social class mobility, occupational status mobility, earnings mobility and family income mobility. Additionally, the current data were compared to previously studied data from previous studies (1965-2005) on this topic in order to measure current trends in intergenerational mobility among populations holding college degrees. In many cases, access to college education depends largely on parental resources. This is not to say that families without the necessary resources cannot send their children to college. Students who demonstrate higher achievement in secondary schools (high school) may be eligible for university entry based on merit. However, the more resources a family has, the more likely it is that a family will send their child to an upper-class institution not on the basis of merit, but simply for…half of paper…generational mobility. The author of this study, Florencia Torche, used a wide variety of statistical data to prove this point, which increased its degree of accuracy and validity. Of course, different levels of economic mobility are directly related to different levels of education, fields of practice, and many other factors discussed in this article, however you can be assured that with the proper motivation, education, and hard work, a college l Education is a very worthwhile endeavor and has the ability to directly influence intergenerational mobility. ReferencesTorche, F. (2011). Is a college degree still the great equalizer? Intergenerational mobility across educational attainment in the United States. American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 117, n. 3 (November 2011), pp. 763–807 Retrieved 10/27/2013 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/661904.