Geographic inequities in local higher education opportunities? : identifying college deserts with critical GIS

In a world where one's future is heavily impacted by having postsecondary education, access to college is a pertinent research topic. Access is a widely researched topic, but only recently has college access been studied specifically. This study proposes a geographic information systems based methodology for quantifying college access at multiple spatial scales. This methodology was implemented with the Python programming language and ArcGIS. A sample of six metropolitan statistical areas were identified and analyzed using the developed methodology. Within this sample, college access varied primarily by socio-economic status although some variation between race/ethnicity was identified. Further research is needed to assess whether these trends are generalizable. Quantification of college access will aid policy-makers to prepare reforms to reduce the inequity of college access.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geography (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Krause, Christopher (Christopher Michael)

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Matisziw, Timothy C. (Timothy Clark),

Statement dc:rights

• OpenAccess.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/63375

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/63375