Are Too Many People Going To College By Charles Murray Analysis
In todays society, having a college education is one of the single most important factors when applying for a job. Employers expect at the minimum for applicants to have an Associates degree. However, many employers prefer hiring individuals who have obtained a bachelors degree or higher. In “Are Too Many People Going to College?”, Charles Murray discusses the importance of Americans sharing the same basic core knowledge (223). Having a college degree makes an individual more money than an individual who just has a high school diploma. It provides people with a wide variety of opportunity regarding career paths and educational experiences. Those who obtain a college degree often times have a more secure future regarding their job and if they decide to advance to a different job. With a degree individuals have the will power to move a different job without worrying about not meeting certain job requirements. Lastly, having a college degree secures an individual
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future by providing an educational safety net. Although critics claim that the cost of college is overwhelming, all people should seek a higher education after high school. In “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus discuss the current hardship that many college students face-student loans (179). Many people cannot afford to go to their dream college due to overpriced admission. Critics argue that due to the financial burdens associated with obtaining an education higher than high school diploma, not everyone should to go to college. Those individuals are better off working and starting their futures, rather than wasting their time in school and being forced to face the financial hardships that are associated with college later in life. Although there is no doubt that the financial burdens college students face can remain with them for a lifetime, there is an alternate root that can get individuals where they want to be education wise, with less than $20,000 in student loans. According to Robin Wilson in “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely”, “about a third of graduates leave college with no debt at all for their education,” and “of the 65 percent who face debt, the average they owe is around $20,000” (257). What Wilson means is that it is statistically proven that one third of college graduates are able to pay off their debt before graduating, and the 65 percent of graduates who do have debt only owe about $20,000. Many times, students heavily come into debt by over borrowing in student loans. Instead of making the smart decision and attending a school that they can afford, such as a community college, to complete their general education, then once its completed transfer to a University or Cal State once they have decided to pursue a career path. However, instead students decide to pay to go to their dream college regardless of the price and end up with with over $40,000 in debt (257-58). The only way not to be sinking in debt because of student loans is to be smart and make responsible decisions when choosing a college to attend. All people should go to college because they would be making a wise investment in their financial future. Those who go to college and obtain degrees are not only smarter education wise, but they also make more money. According to Wilson, “a college graduate can expect to earn nearly one million dollars more in lifetime earnings than a high-school graduate can” (260). What Wilson means by this is plain and simple. If a person wants to make a decent amount of money and live a great lifestyle, one must graduate from college. The more education an individual has, the high degrees they can obtain and essentially the more money they can make. Paying back student loans wouldn’t even be an issue for a college graduate if they made the responsible choice when deciding on how to pay for college. All people should go to college for the opportunities that come with graduating.
Hacker and Dreifus say that we want “opportunity for everyone, not just the offspring of professional parents” (181). What the two of them mean by this is that everyone deserves a chance at their career dreams and that all people from all types of backgrounds deserve the chance. The chance to shape communication skills and expand their knowledge. The chance to learn how to become organized and be exposed to a new kind of thinking. A college education opens up multiple doors whether its career choices or a chance to further their education . A chance to have a career, not just a job. People spend most of their lives working, it makes sense that how people feel about their work can really effect them. Individuals with a higher level of education tend to be more accomplished regarding their careers rather than those who just have a high school diploma. People should strive for the gold, rather than just settle for the
bronze. Having a college education helps secure a persons future. A degree won’t help a person figure out what they want to do with their life or get them lined up for a job. However what it will do is provide the basic structure of a secure future. College teaches a person to become more qualified. It shows that the individual is aware of what will come in their future career path of choice. It also shows that the individual is experienced in the field of study and is willing to make a future out of what they learned in college.College benefits individuals in more than just one way. It also helps them learn how to make friendly connections with their classmates and professors which will collectively help them learn to communicate appropriately with future colleagues and superiors. Making these connections in college benefit the the individual by providing friends who are also interested in similar career paths. With similar career interests it provides individuals to share sources and business opportunities arise in the future. In todays society, having a college education is one of the single most important factors when applying for a job. However many people cannot afford to go to their dream college due to overpriced admission. Critics argue that due to the financial burdens associated with obtaining an education higher than high school diploma, not everyone should to go to college.The only way not to be sinking in debt because of student loans is to be smart and make responsible decisions when choosing a college to attend. Having a college degree makes an individual more money than an individual who just has a high school diploma. It provides people with a wide variety of opportunity regarding career paths and educational experiences. All people should go to college for the opportunities that come with graduating. Those who obtain a college degree often times have a more secure future regarding their job and if they decide to advance to a different job. With a degree individuals have the will power to move a different job without worrying about not meeting certain job requirements. Although critics claim that the cost of college is overwhelming, all people should seek a higher education after high school.
Works Cited
Hacker, Andrew, and Claudia Dreifus. "Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 179-89. Print.
Murray, Charles. "Are Too Many People Going to College." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 222-42. Print.
Wilson, Robin. "A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 256-73. Print.
future by providing an educational safety net. Although critics claim that the cost of college is overwhelming, all people should seek a higher education after high school. In “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus discuss the current hardship that many college students face-student loans (179). Many people cannot afford to go to their dream college due to overpriced admission. Critics argue that due to the financial burdens associated with obtaining an education higher than high school diploma, not everyone should to go to college. Those individuals are better off working and starting their futures, rather than wasting their time in school and being forced to face the financial hardships that are associated with college later in life. Although there is no doubt that the financial burdens college students face can remain with them for a lifetime, there is an alternate root that can get individuals where they want to be education wise, with less than $20,000 in student loans. According to Robin Wilson in “A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely”, “about a third of graduates leave college with no debt at all for their education,” and “of the 65 percent who face debt, the average they owe is around $20,000” (257). What Wilson means is that it is statistically proven that one third of college graduates are able to pay off their debt before graduating, and the 65 percent of graduates who do have debt only owe about $20,000. Many times, students heavily come into debt by over borrowing in student loans. Instead of making the smart decision and attending a school that they can afford, such as a community college, to complete their general education, then once its completed transfer to a University or Cal State once they have decided to pursue a career path. However, instead students decide to pay to go to their dream college regardless of the price and end up with with over $40,000 in debt (257-58). The only way not to be sinking in debt because of student loans is to be smart and make responsible decisions when choosing a college to attend. All people should go to college because they would be making a wise investment in their financial future. Those who go to college and obtain degrees are not only smarter education wise, but they also make more money. According to Wilson, “a college graduate can expect to earn nearly one million dollars more in lifetime earnings than a high-school graduate can” (260). What Wilson means by this is plain and simple. If a person wants to make a decent amount of money and live a great lifestyle, one must graduate from college. The more education an individual has, the high degrees they can obtain and essentially the more money they can make. Paying back student loans wouldn’t even be an issue for a college graduate if they made the responsible choice when deciding on how to pay for college. All people should go to college for the opportunities that come with graduating.
Hacker and Dreifus say that we want “opportunity for everyone, not just the offspring of professional parents” (181). What the two of them mean by this is that everyone deserves a chance at their career dreams and that all people from all types of backgrounds deserve the chance. The chance to shape communication skills and expand their knowledge. The chance to learn how to become organized and be exposed to a new kind of thinking. A college education opens up multiple doors whether its career choices or a chance to further their education . A chance to have a career, not just a job. People spend most of their lives working, it makes sense that how people feel about their work can really effect them. Individuals with a higher level of education tend to be more accomplished regarding their careers rather than those who just have a high school diploma. People should strive for the gold, rather than just settle for the
bronze. Having a college education helps secure a persons future. A degree won’t help a person figure out what they want to do with their life or get them lined up for a job. However what it will do is provide the basic structure of a secure future. College teaches a person to become more qualified. It shows that the individual is aware of what will come in their future career path of choice. It also shows that the individual is experienced in the field of study and is willing to make a future out of what they learned in college.College benefits individuals in more than just one way. It also helps them learn how to make friendly connections with their classmates and professors which will collectively help them learn to communicate appropriately with future colleagues and superiors. Making these connections in college benefit the the individual by providing friends who are also interested in similar career paths. With similar career interests it provides individuals to share sources and business opportunities arise in the future. In todays society, having a college education is one of the single most important factors when applying for a job. However many people cannot afford to go to their dream college due to overpriced admission. Critics argue that due to the financial burdens associated with obtaining an education higher than high school diploma, not everyone should to go to college.The only way not to be sinking in debt because of student loans is to be smart and make responsible decisions when choosing a college to attend. Having a college degree makes an individual more money than an individual who just has a high school diploma. It provides people with a wide variety of opportunity regarding career paths and educational experiences. All people should go to college for the opportunities that come with graduating. Those who obtain a college degree often times have a more secure future regarding their job and if they decide to advance to a different job. With a degree individuals have the will power to move a different job without worrying about not meeting certain job requirements. Although critics claim that the cost of college is overwhelming, all people should seek a higher education after high school.
Works Cited
Hacker, Andrew, and Claudia Dreifus. "Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 179-89. Print.
Murray, Charles. "Are Too Many People Going to College." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 222-42. Print.
Wilson, Robin. "A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely." They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 256-73. Print.