Higher Education Essay PDF

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High Education...

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Tatiana Diaz (Final Draft) 1,476 Words

December 6th, 2017 Higher Education

Many authors and writers have their opinions when it comes to higher education and its benefits. Their opinions can be based off of the cost, the purpose, the use, and the outcome of higher education. Some believe there is problems with higher education and some believe that there is not problem at all. Some of these authors and writers make great cases but some do not. Often attending college or some form of education after high school may not be as good for the individual as finding something that fits them, their interests and life goals for the future. This essay will explain in detail the different perspectives of various writers when it comes to higher education and how those perspectives match or contradict each other. Public schools or community colleges are generally the best option, because of their affordability and because financial aid can help if qualified, but no matter where a student goes, he or she should have a clear arrangement in terms of what he or she wants to major in / her career goal.While college may not be for everyone, most people should try it out due to the obvious economic advantages of getting a degree. In our present time, colleges accept about anyone and everyone if the student meets their requirements. Although not everyone can handle the college lifestyle and are just not prepared to be in college. Gerald Graff, one of the coauthors of the book “They Say I Say”, argues that many students can handle the academic appeal of the college life. He explains how students can succeed if their academic interests are included then it will give students some motivation to be interested and involved into discussions and assignments that contain their interests. He also emphasizes how he believes in the average person’s intelligence. Liz Addison, author of the essay “What’s the Matter With College?”, asserts that colleges (community colleges in specific),

are open to anyone who wants to try. She states that “Implicit in this belief is the understanding that anything and everything is possible. Just follow any one of the 1,655 road signs, and pop your head inside—yes, they let anyone in—and there you will find discoveries of a first independent study”(257). Addison’s point is basically that anyone can go to college, and that college is a chance for a student to become independent. On the other hand, Charles Murray, the W.H Brady Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, contradicts Addison and Graff’s positions of who can go to college. Murray insists that not everyone should go to college. In Murray’s view, “Every percentile down the ability ladder—and this applies to all abilities, not just academic—the probability that a person will enjoy the hardest aspects of an activity goes down as well”(239). The essence of Murray’s argument is that not everyone should go to college if they think they are not ready for complex readings and assignments. Murray supports how students who are “college ready”, which are the students who receive scores of 1180 or higher on their SATs, should go to college. I support Addison and Graff’s position in that anyone and everyone is able to receive the college education that they want not matter what. Students should definitely give college a try because it can help further prepare for whatever they choose to be in life. I oppose Murray’s opinion in that students should go to college based off of test scores. Students with very low SAT scores can have the ability to succeed in college in they have the motivation to do it. A student with excellent grades can receive low SAT scores and still be prepared for college. Basically students should never be based off of a test score because test scores do not define a student's knowledge and does not predict how he or she will do in college. There are many reasons as to why people go to college. It can be to become more enlightened or just to prepare for future jobs. Freeman Hrabowski, chair of the President’s

Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, believes that people should go to college to prepare for life and to give back to their community. He claims how the more educated you become, the more you can give back to your community and also how being more educated can benefit with career education and help enhance a variety of skills. Although Sanford J. Ungar, author of “Fresh Blood: The New American Immigrants (1998), believes that people should go to college to become more wiser, prepare for future jobs, and to obtain an education in many fields instead of focusing on just one. Ungar states “ It is far wiser for students to prepare for change—and the multiple careers they are more likely to have—than to search for a single job track that might one day become a dead end”(227). Ungar’s point here is that people should focus more on preparing and studying for multiple jobs and skills and also be prepared for change in the future considering jobs. I oppose to Hrabowski’s opinion in that people should go to college to give back to their community. A counterargument for that would be that there are others ways to give back to the community, it doesn’t have to be all about being more educated because you can still help out the community no matter what, not just by going to college and getting and education. You can give back to your community by volunteering, visiting senior centers, and serving meals. I accept Ungar’s opinion because college is a way to mentally prepare yourself to change and also prepare you for your career. While in highschool, you do not get to chose the classes you want to take but college gives you that knowledge and advantage to chose what you want to study and prepare for your future. The first thing that comes to mind when people think of college is money and debt. Who is gonna pay for it? How much in debt will I be? Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill, authors of Should Everyone Go to College?, believe that people should go to college and not worry so

much about the cost. According to Owen and Sawhill, “Studies have shown that students frequently underestimate how much aid they are eligible for, and don’t claim tax incentives that would save them money”(221). In other words, Owen and Sawhill believe that many low income families do not take advantage of FAFSA, and other ways to help pay for college and that some families do not even know that they are eligible so they do not even try to apply for it which is a loss for them because it could help them save money. On the other hand, Liz Addison believes that people should go to a community college because it saves people money. In Addison’s views, “They offer a network of affordable future, of accessible hope, and an option to dream”(258). Addison’s point is that basically community colleges are to way to go because they offer opportunity, chance to get a great education, but most importantly because it is more affordable and can help those who come from low income families. I accept both opinions of Owen and Sawhill, and Addison because they both make good points of how there are ways and opportunities for people who want to go to college but are more focused on the cost. Owen and Sawhill brought up FAFSA which can help very much with partially paying for you education. Addison brought up how community colleges are cheaper which is also something that I agree with. Community colleges are cheaper and can offer most of the same education you would receive at a university. To conclude, College should be a goal for many people but things like the cost, purpose and eligibility prevents them to go for it and try if they want. Regarding eligibility, Graff claims that many students can handle the academic appeal of the college life and has hope for people in college and Addison asserts that community colleges are open to anyone who wants to try so that gives anyone a chance to get an education. Concerning the purpose, Hrabowski believes that people should go to college to prepare for life and to give back to their community

and Ungar asserts that people should go to college to become more wiser, prepare for future jobs, and to obtain an education in many fields instead of focusing on just one. In regards to the cost, Owen and Isabel Sawhill believe that cost should not be a worry because there are ways to find help and free money like with FAFSA and Addison believes that people should go to a community college because it saves people money....