Originally Posted by neuralnetworking
I think it would be great if we had more gifted and ambitious high school students from lower and middle-class backgrounds going into these fields.

It's really a question of backward induction and inferring which skills/opportunities are missing at transition points into these fields.

Sadly, my sense is that that happens well within the K-12 span. What we need is outstanding math and language programming, with a lot of wrap-around services in the K-6 age range to ensure low SES students have the opportunity to be exposed to secondary level training that will:

a) Allow them entry to university
b) Allow them entry to elite universities
c) Allow them entry to elite universities in elite fields


What is to give light must endure burning.