Photo: Max Petrosky

Monet Spencer made it into college this year despite becoming homeless when her mother died. She remembers seeing, as a member of her inner-city high school’s marching band, the much better equipment suburban students got. 

Here’s the latest, more profound way in which wealthier students have an advantage over lower-income ones: Those enrolled in private and suburban public high schools are being awarded higher grades—critical in the competition for college admission—than their urban public school counterparts with no less talent or potential, new research shows.

In preparation for her graduation from California State University East Bay, Sheena Lyons wanted a job that would set her up for a career. Her choice: the tech industry.  

The problem was Lyons had no experience in tech. That's when she turned to a vocational training program that prepares participants for careers in sales and business development by putting them through rigorous training in those areas and then partnering with tech companies to get them in the door as fellows.