For-Profit College By Kevin Carey Analysis
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Alexandra Andrews
Dr. Van Bergen-Rylander
ENC 1101-00M
11 Sept. 2014
Is College Debt To Much Everyone who wants to go to college is often faced with the same fact, how will I pay? Students often go with the options of taking loans, after much consideration and research, research sometimes based on essays written by authors. Even though Carey and Wilson both address the debt college could put someone in. Wilson provides a more convincing argument due to the fact that he gives more information on statistics of student loans, more information about loans, and an unbiased opinion. Before you make a big decision you should always know the risks and benefits. One way to ensure you make a good decision is, if possible look at statistics. In the essays “Why Do You Think They’re Called For- Profit Colleges?” by Kevin Carey and “A Lifetime Of Student Debt? Not Likely” by Robin Wilson they both take different approaches to using statistics about student loan debt in their writing. Carey does not use any statistics making his article harder to understand and his material credibility questionable. Carey …show more content…
states that, “The University Of Phoenix is on pace to reap $4 billion from federal loans” (Carey 216). This is one of the only times in his article Carey mentions how much colleges make from loans. He then says “Unfortunately, a large and growing number of graduates of for-profit colleges are having trouble paying those loans back” (Carey 216). Although Carey says it’s a large number of graduates that have trouble paying loans back he does not show any statistics to confirm it, which makes his information questionable. On the other hand Wilson uses an abundance of statistics in his article which makes the article easy to understand and a trustworthy source. According to Wilson, “Of the 65 percent who face debt, the average they owe is around $20,00”
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(Wilson 257). Wilson also gives statistics on the amount of debt difference between undergraduate and graduate degrees, and public and private schools graduates. Just the uses of Wilsons statistics makes me realize that debt is a manageable and wouldn’t overwhelm my life.
The next point that really set these two essays apart was the amount of information given about loans. In Carey’s article he gives very little information about loans in general. He really just implies that student’s taking large loans are what are making for-profit colleges so profitable. He fails to give us information about why loans are needed, and what loans allow people to do. Unlike Wilson who again gives us plenty of material to see the pros and cons of loans. Wilson covers topics like interest rates, and borrowing risks. He also includes stories from people’s real life describing their personal success and struggles with student debt. These personal stories really helped me connect with Wilson’s article and understand the pros of taking loans.
The last point that set these essays apart was the amount of bias in the articles.
I felt Carey’s article was extremely biased towards one man named Michal Clifford. It shows Clifford as almost a monster. Carey says, “Entrepreneurs like Clifford, meanwhile, have been snapping up dying nonprofit colleges and quickly turning them into money making machines” (Carey 216). I on the other hand do not think its Clifford fault. He is just doing his job, and it seems he’s doing a very good job at it. One way or another the student has to pay for college and it’s going to be fairly expensive in this day and age, and I feel like Carey is just trying to put the blame on someone. Although Wilson acknowledges that there are some problems with students loans and some people will have a difficult time paying them back, I think he wrote a very fair and unbiased
essay.
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There are always two sides to every story and multiple ways of looking at things, as shown in these two essays both discussing student loan debt. Although these essays both challenged my mind and gave me new insight on student loan debt, I thought Wilsons essay was much more to the point. Also he included so much more in depth information that made the article interesting ,knowledgeable, and meaningful.
Carey, Kevin. “Why Do You Think They’re Called For-Profit Colleges.” They Say / I Say with Readings.
2ed ed. Eds Gerald Graff. Cathy Birkenstien, and Russel Burst. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 215-221. Print.
Wilson, Robin. “A Lifetime Of Student Debt? Not Likely.” They Say / I Say with Readings.
2ed ed. Eds Gerald Graff. Cathy Birkenstien, and Russel Burst. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 256-273. Print.
Alexandra Andrews
Dr. Van Bergen-Rylander
ENC 1101-00M
11 Sept. 2014
Is College Debt To Much Everyone who wants to go to college is often faced with the same fact, how will I pay? Students often go with the options of taking loans, after much consideration and research, research sometimes based on essays written by authors. Even though Carey and Wilson both address the debt college could put someone in. Wilson provides a more convincing argument due to the fact that he gives more information on statistics of student loans, more information about loans, and an unbiased opinion. Before you make a big decision you should always know the risks and benefits. One way to ensure you make a good decision is, if possible look at statistics. In the essays “Why Do You Think They’re Called For- Profit Colleges?” by Kevin Carey and “A Lifetime Of Student Debt? Not Likely” by Robin Wilson they both take different approaches to using statistics about student loan debt in their writing. Carey does not use any statistics making his article harder to understand and his material credibility questionable. Carey …show more content…
states that, “The University Of Phoenix is on pace to reap $4 billion from federal loans” (Carey 216). This is one of the only times in his article Carey mentions how much colleges make from loans. He then says “Unfortunately, a large and growing number of graduates of for-profit colleges are having trouble paying those loans back” (Carey 216). Although Carey says it’s a large number of graduates that have trouble paying loans back he does not show any statistics to confirm it, which makes his information questionable. On the other hand Wilson uses an abundance of statistics in his article which makes the article easy to understand and a trustworthy source. According to Wilson, “Of the 65 percent who face debt, the average they owe is around $20,00”
Andrews 2
(Wilson 257). Wilson also gives statistics on the amount of debt difference between undergraduate and graduate degrees, and public and private schools graduates. Just the uses of Wilsons statistics makes me realize that debt is a manageable and wouldn’t overwhelm my life.
The next point that really set these two essays apart was the amount of information given about loans. In Carey’s article he gives very little information about loans in general. He really just implies that student’s taking large loans are what are making for-profit colleges so profitable. He fails to give us information about why loans are needed, and what loans allow people to do. Unlike Wilson who again gives us plenty of material to see the pros and cons of loans. Wilson covers topics like interest rates, and borrowing risks. He also includes stories from people’s real life describing their personal success and struggles with student debt. These personal stories really helped me connect with Wilson’s article and understand the pros of taking loans.
The last point that set these essays apart was the amount of bias in the articles.
I felt Carey’s article was extremely biased towards one man named Michal Clifford. It shows Clifford as almost a monster. Carey says, “Entrepreneurs like Clifford, meanwhile, have been snapping up dying nonprofit colleges and quickly turning them into money making machines” (Carey 216). I on the other hand do not think its Clifford fault. He is just doing his job, and it seems he’s doing a very good job at it. One way or another the student has to pay for college and it’s going to be fairly expensive in this day and age, and I feel like Carey is just trying to put the blame on someone. Although Wilson acknowledges that there are some problems with students loans and some people will have a difficult time paying them back, I think he wrote a very fair and unbiased
essay.
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There are always two sides to every story and multiple ways of looking at things, as shown in these two essays both discussing student loan debt. Although these essays both challenged my mind and gave me new insight on student loan debt, I thought Wilsons essay was much more to the point. Also he included so much more in depth information that made the article interesting ,knowledgeable, and meaningful.
Carey, Kevin. “Why Do You Think They’re Called For-Profit Colleges.” They Say / I Say with Readings.
2ed ed. Eds Gerald Graff. Cathy Birkenstien, and Russel Burst. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 215-221. Print.
Wilson, Robin. “A Lifetime Of Student Debt? Not Likely.” They Say / I Say with Readings.
2ed ed. Eds Gerald Graff. Cathy Birkenstien, and Russel Burst. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 256-273. Print.