Rhetorical Analysis: Should Everyone Go To College

College is one of the largest financial burdens in today’s society for many. Since the recession, people often ponder what the best financial options for students looking to go to college are and what path they should take to get them there. Being able to read other’s opinions on said topic can be rather beneficial for one looking into the possibility of furthering his or her education. Mike Rose, faculty member at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, and Karen Lawrence, the president of Sarah Lawrence College, have both shared their opinion for others to read by writing articles about this epidemic and stating what they believe to be the advantages and some of the possible downsides

to pursuing a higher education. During these articles, the two writers are trying to persuade their intended audience that college is an option that could be beneficial for them to take advantage of. They both have different points of view on some aspects of the topic of higher education, but they share some opinions as well. While both authors have strong arguments, Mike Rose’s article seems to have more influence on the audience with the use of the rhetorical appeals pathos, ethos, and logos.
In the article “My View: Should Everyone Go to College”, Mike Rose explains his opinion on higher education in America.

Rose discuses the value of higher education and the different institutions that provide programs available to those wishing to further their knowledge. He goes on to share a story from his life, to help better connect with his audience. This is most likely beneficial for Rose to include, as he uses the rhetorical appeals of ethos and pathos to allow his audience to understand that he has gone through experiences alike their own. Rose talks of how he was raised in a “poor family”, how he was just “an average student”, and how he believed at first that college just was not for him (Rose, Paragraph 2 and 9). By telling the audience of his struggles and opinions from his younger years, the audience is able to better understand Rose’s words and see him as an equal rather than just a college professor. Rose uses the appeals of ethos and pathos in these statements to connect with the audience. His experiences allow him to become more humanized and bring credibility to his words while also evoking emotions from the audience. While Rose uses both of these appeals well, Karen Lawrence’s article “What Value Really Means in Higher Education” seems to only focus on Sarah Lawrence College and the benefits of attending such a school. Lawrence never seems to use the rhetorical appeals of ethos and pathos, as she does not appear to include any statements that would evoke one to feel a certain emotion or allow herself to gain credibility. However, Lawrence uses the rhetorical appeal of logos well to appeal to the audience, as did

Rose.
The two articles use the rhetorical appeal of logos fairly well. Mike Rose uses this appeal as he states, “According to data from the National Center for Educational Statistics, people with a college degree, on average, will earn significantly more over a lifetime than people without a degree” (Rose, Paragraph 4). He tells the reader of the advantages of attending college and getting a higher education degree, and how these advantages can benefit one throughout one’s life. He also informs the reader of other opportunities by stating “There are good jobs available in midlevel technical fields, in the trades and in certain services that do require training but not a four-year or even a two-year degree” (Rose, Paragraph 5). Rose allows the reader to understand that there are other paths for people to do to take life rather than just merely going to college. Lawrence on the other hand uses logos but not quite as successfully as Rose. She uses this technique when states that it is “critical that we—and our students—avoid buying into the illusion that a narrow focus on a specific job or salary at the moment of graduation will prepare that student for the 21st century” (Lawrence, Paragraph 3). By stating this she allows the audience to logically see furthering one’s education as a great benefit to one’s life.
While both Mike Rose and Karen Lawrence both use rhetorical appeals in their articles, Rose’s article likely would appeal to the audience more with the strong usage of pathos, ethos, and logos. Both of these articles show each individual’s opinions of the importance of higher education and how one can benefit from attending such an institution. As college is one of the largest financial burdens to much of America, being able to read others opinion can be of great benefit when finding the correct path to take to further one’s education.