About the TV Series

In the fall of 2004, public television will present the prime-time documentary series The College Track: America's Sorting Machine. Hosted and narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor Andre Braugher, the series explores America's commitment to equal access to higher education through the stories of students struggling to become the first in their families to attend college.

The three-part series examines how low expectations and lack of rigorous preparation limit students' choices and hamper their chances for success. The series, presented in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education decision striking down school segregation, shows how innovative programs designed to bridge gaps can make all the difference.

	Program One, Who's In, Who's Out, examines the educational “sorting machine” that exists in our public schools, which derails many kids who could be “college material.” Featured stories include: Sparks, Nevada; Clermont County, Ohio; New York City, New York.
	Program Two, Expect the Best, considers what happens when the dream of a college education is set in motion in classrooms and communities where expectations have been low. Featured stories include: Rio Grande Valley, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia.
	Program Three, Get In, Stay In, examines which students are prepared to succeed in college and why so many students drop out before they finish. Issues of race and class can turn the higher-education experience into an obstacle course, deterring some of the best and brightest in the country from graduating with a four-year degree. Featured stories include: Baltimore, Maryland; Pulaski County, Indiana; Los Angeles, California.