When you think of a typical college student you may think of a young adult around 18 to 22 years old. You may also think of someone with little world experience that’s off on their own for the first time in their short life. Surprisingly, there has been a recent phenomenon with an increase in older people now attending post-secondary education, specifically the baby boomer generation. Libby Sander, a staff reporter at the Chronicle of Higher Education, explores this topic in an article called “Blue-Collar Boomers Take Work Ethic to College” (782). Sander combines the use of all three rhetorical appeals throughout her article to successfully argue that the wave of baby boomers enrolled in postsecondary education is changing the perception …show more content…
She includes quotes from George Boggs, president of American Association of Community Colleges, who says, “colleges are going to have to adapt to serve this population,” and that “community colleges have been the most adaptable institutions around…they are very flexible in trying to meet the needs of the students (Sander 784).” Sander makes the connection for the reader that with the influx of baby boomer students colleges will be forced to make changes in an effort to accommodate …show more content…
Sander doesn’t wait long before introducing these three characters into her article because they are such a crucial component of her argument. Her tone is calm, very direct and informative. The combination of tone, word choice and factual information is vital in establishing trust with the reader. The pathos appeal is probably the easiest one to spot. The stories of these particular individuals are used to elicit an emotional response from the reader. The reader will most likely sympathize with these characters and what they’ve been through. Finally, the struggles that these characters face provide the rationale that the reader uses to understand why baby boomers would return to school so late in
(Owen and Sawhill 208) After all, if our country’s leader is preaching about college being a good thing, it should reflect the views of a majority of people in this country. They then continue to try to make connections with the audience by emphasizing that this is a “we” problem and by recognizing that the decision to go off to college is not an easy one for everybody. These first words in the essay demonstrate a call to the ethos of President Obama and clear cut pathos to bring the authors down to the same level as their audience; However, the rest of the essay is absolutely dominated by
As the economy evolves and the job market continues to get more competitive, it’s becoming harder to have a successful career without some kind of college degree. This creates a belief in many young students that college actually is a commodity, something they must have in order to have a good life. There’s many different factors that influence this mindset, high schools must push the importance of the student’s willingness and drive to further their education. College isn’t just a gateway to jobs, but it is an opportunity to increase knowledge and stretch and challenge the student which in return makes them a more rounded adult and provides them with skills they might lack prior to
Not So Much” had defended the actions of millennials of which had been misinterpreted as have other generations past. However, “A’s for Everyone” by Alicia C. Shepard had voiced the opposition’s side, focusing the student and often times parent harassment on professors for better grades of which student entitlement as well as the inflation of grades have been to blame. With these two articles, one could conclude that although this most recent generation has been misunderstood, certain factors has made this generation expect some comeuppance. To put it simply, Generation Y had been bashed by its elders for their behaviors seen as immoral, lazy, and even negligent in their roles of society. Although some may have proved to increase efficiency in the workplace as well as in personal relationships, the human trait of entitlement has, in fact, been ubiquitous, especially pertaining to academic
In “Two Years Are Better than Four”, Liz Addison argues against Rick Perlstein’s article “What’s the Matter With College?”. While Perlstein questions the value of college as it currently is, Addison argues that the “community college system is America’s hidden public service gem”(Addison 257). By way of that, she defends the value of college. Unsurprisingly, as with most situations, the truth is somewhere in between ends of a spectrum created by these two articles. While I agree with Addison’s idea of community college being an accessible starting point for everyone, she fails to appropriately represent the unique culture often found in these types of colleges. Also, I think that she also fails to look at the overall purpose of attending school and then neglects to acknowledge the benefits of a four year university.
College is the place where people go to retain the necessary training for a job that requires specific skills, which results in earning a higher pay check. In today’s world, employers are scouting out for individuals with the proper dexterities to fill the shoes for that specific job. Blanche D. Blank, the author of “A Question of Degree," argues that possessing a degree of higher education isn’t the only way to have a very successful life. This statement is highly argumentative, due to the fact that college graduates still out-earn people without degrees. Obtaining a college degree is one of the best things someone can do for themselves, when it comes to looking for a stable job. There is also so much more to college than just receiving a
How imperative is it that one pursues a traditional college experience? Although it might appear that Charles Murray and Liz Addison are in agreement that the traditional college experience is not necessary for everyone, Addison provides a more convincing argument that higher education is necessary in some form. This is seen through Addison’s arguments that college is essential to growing up, that education is proportional to the life one lives, and that community college reinvents the traditional college experience. Not only does Addison have her own opinions about college, but Murray does as well.
Over the past few years, people have begun to see going to college as a way to achieve the American Dream through career-readiness. People used to go to college, hoping to get a better well-rounded education. For most the well-rounded education, it usually came with the courses required for a liberal arts education. The courses would provide a level of analytical and in-depth understanding that would prepare the students for both life and whichever career path chosen. No matter the amount of money paid, parents would be willing to gi...
In Caroline Bird’s “College is A Waste of Time and Money”, it’s argued that there are many college students who would be better off if they were to begin working after high school graduation. Colleges and universities can no longer ensure that one will go on to get a better job, getting paid more than they would have without a higher education. However, high school seniors still stress about where they will be attending college, how they’re going to pay for it and what they’re going to study for the next four years. Bird points out how college has changed over the past few decades and how, in turn, it has set many young adults up for disappointment, if nothing else.
In 2007, the oldest college student graduated at the age of 95 years old, with a Bachelor’s degree in general studies. Many Americans of all ages attend college, from recent high-school graduates to older adults, whom are considered to be non-traditional students. Some of these students did not receive a four year high-school degree, but did receive a GED; some have a husband or wife and kids at home, or can be a single parent, and they have a full time job while attending school. Non-traditional students have to sacrifice a great deal to achieve their goals. In Anzia Yezierkha’s essay, “Soap and Water,” she describes the terrible situations she has to go through as a Russian immigrant, working full time in a hot steamy laundry mat, while trying to obtain her college degree as a teacher. In “Soap and Water,” she recounts her difficult four years in college much the same as a non-traditional student may encounter, the struggles she had with Professors and students, while working fulltime such as a non-traditional student at any college today; with all the personal pain and working so hard, to finally achieving of her dream also known as the “American Dream.”
In Charles Murray’s essay entitled “Are Too Many People Going to College?”, he discusses the influx of Americans getting a college education. He addresses the topic of Liberal Arts education, and explains that not many people are ready for the rigorous challenges a liberal-arts degree offers. In addition, Murray explains that instead of a traditional degree more people should apply to technical schools. He believes that college should not be wide spread, and that it is only for those who can handle it. These viewpoints harshly contrast with Sanford J. Ungar’s views. Ungar believes college education should be widespread, because a liberal-arts degree is, in his opinion, a necessity. He argues that a liberal-arts college is the only place that
Gail O. Mellow is the president of LaGuardia Community College. In her article, The Biggest Misconceptions about Today’s College Students, she argues that there are misguided judgments present about the ‘typical’ college undergraduate. Mellow, writes this to inform the reader about the challenges college students, mainly ones at a junior college, have maintaining structure between their personal and academic lives. She adopts a firm, formal, and assertive tone for different groups of people; likely, financial trustees that could also be her fellow colleagues, any member of a staff of a higher learning institution in general, and even general taxpayers. She supports her claims about financial and academic obstacles students have by further explaining
As the high school chapter is coming to a close, many students have to make a decision that will affect the rest of their lives. Hopefully, for many that decision is to enroll in a college and attain a higher education. However, as tuition costs rise, students have to take a second look at their options for a better future. A community college is that second look for many because it is the less expensive option. From 2007-2009, enrollment for community colleges has increased by 24 percent (“College costs and the CPI”). Students aren’t choosing a college for educational purposes because they are overwhelmed by financial issues. They are attending community colleges so they will be able to graduate with a lower debt. Some seniors have wanted to attend a certain university all their life and they work toward that goal through grade school; however, they are hindered by soaring tuition for that college. Students should be able to attend a private university if they mee...
Imagine a school for students who are not ready to dive into a four year university head first. What would it be like? The school would have easier classes and a lower tuition to assist the transition. That would be nice, and that is exactly what community colleges have tried to do since 1948. Originally suggested by the Truman Commission, community colleges were to be created to serve local needs. In the 1960’s, around 457 community colleges were opened to the public (“Past”). People flooded into the new colleges, and since then, the amount of community colleges around the United States has exceeded 1,655 (“Facts”). Though over the past few years, community colleges have faced a problem. On average, the graduation rate at most colleges is around thirty percent, so what has gone wrong? The original
Many people have realized the benefits of attending a community college instead of a university. Community colleges are working to give students more resources to help them succeed in their courses. And money has become available through scholarships and automatic discounts for specific students. But colleges need to continue to work against budget cuts and low funding. They need to continue to provide many resources for their students. An issue that continue to pervade is a low focus on graduating. Community colleges often focus more on getting students to attend their colleges rather than getting them to graduate and get degrees. Colleges need to set a more degree-oriented focus and offer more support to students to help them with career planning, advising for what courses to take, and discouraging students from taking courses that do not count towards their
Current figures on the employment rate amongst college graduates leads students to think that a college education ensures a desirable job. From guidance counselors, to popular media sources, young adults are constantly being pushed towards pursuing a college education...