Inequality in the College‐to‐Career Transition: Building Career‐Relevant Cultural and Social Capital on Campus

ABSTRACT American narratives about the value of a college education emphasizes the economic utility of translating a degree into a “good” job after graduation. Youth are encouraged to obtain a college degree as a pathway to economic mobility, however prior research shows that college graduates have a range of employment outcomes after graduation. One way the advantaged maximize their college degree is through optional activities that happen outside of the classroom. Drawing on 60 interviews with recent college graduates, I show that effectively maintained inequality manifests through engagement on campus, which then affects the college‐to‐career transition and post‐graduation employment outcomes. Students who engage on campus and work in professional‐track jobs typically have smoother college‐to‐career transitions. Beyond personal choices, I illustrate the role of universities as institutions in shaping access to optional activities outside the classroom that build career‐relevant cultural and social capital. Some students seeking college as a pathway to mobility were able to successfully leverage engagement on campus to obtain adequate employment through highly structured programs facilitated by institutional gatekeepers. However, institutional engagement was not enough to rectify pre‐college inequalities. My findings reinforce the importance of considering non coursework engagement as a critical lynchpin in the college‐to‐career transition.