"Levine and Nidiffer have tacked an extremely complex and much–neglected problem in contemporary America and they do it with intelligence, grace, and compassion. They also show that something can be done about it. Every educator and policymaker should read this book." ––Alexander W. Astin, professor of higher education and director of the Higher Education Research Institute, University of California, Los AngelesLevine and Nidiffer combine an engaging writing style with poignant stories of teenagers and adults from severely disadvantaged backgrounds. Using the stories they explain, for instance, the critical role of mentors in the lives of successful students, examining where the mentors came from, how they gained their strong faith in education, and how they worked as mentors. The authors ask the most crucial question: Is it possible to reproduce those factors and thereby provide college opportunity and access for disadvantaged people generally? And they conclude with recommAndations about what social and educational policy toward the poor should look like to be most effective in the future.