The United States is the land of opportunity, but we will probably never achieve social equality, which will always be a problem for the lower classes. I think it's harder for lower-class kids to succeed in school because they have to learn to fit in with the middle class and middle-class social norms in addition to graduating. I believe Jay MacLeod did an excellent job explaining his theories and research results. My views on success in life are very traditional, but reading this book makes me realize that the world of “projects” is completely different. I always thought it was this individual's fault that he didn't get out of plans and he chose to live this type of life. MacLeod's findings and interviews with the children made me realize that this was not the case. I now see that social inequalities make social mobility very difficult.