Higher Education
Higher Education
Although none of them have ever said so directly, my teachers have often given me the impression that four-year institutions are more educational and beneficial than two-year community colleges. In the discussion of higher education, one controversial issue has been which is more beneficial to young adults trying to get their feet on the ground, a four-year institution or a two-year community college. On the one hand, people in favor of four-year institutions argue that four years of higher education obviously trumpets that of only two year, which a community college offers. The amount of knowledgeable information that can be absorbed by a young mind given an extra two years may be astronomical. On the other hand, those in favor of two-year community colleges contend that the amount of debt collected during those four years at large universities cripples ones ability to get a successful start at life with $300, $400, or maybe even $500 a month student loan payments. Others even maintain the stance that joining the work force directly out of high school is the answer by generating some income without those hairy student loan bills coming in each and every month. It wasn’t after I dove into Liz Addison’s “Two Years Are Better Than Four” that I began to step back and actually think about this on going debate. She begins with a brief story of a guy names Rick Perlstein’s, who’s thought of college, as Americans understand have came to an end. Perlstein’s ideas are based upon the college experience of self-discovery no longer existing as young American’s are prematurely forced into early adulthood; while working, studying and going to school all at the same time is taking away from the true “college experience” and therefor making college not matter like it once had. Addison was quick to correct these allegations as she stated that she herself had attended 2 community colleges where she believes the college experience is still very much alive. She
Although none of them have ever said so directly, my teachers have often given me the impression that four-year institutions are more educational and beneficial than two-year community colleges. In the discussion of higher education, one controversial issue has been which is more beneficial to young adults trying to get their feet on the ground, a four-year institution or a two-year community college. On the one hand, people in favor of four-year institutions argue that four years of higher education obviously trumpets that of only two year, which a community college offers. The amount of knowledgeable information that can be absorbed by a young mind given an extra two years may be astronomical. On the other hand, those in favor of two-year community colleges contend that the amount of debt collected during those four years at large universities cripples ones ability to get a successful start at life with $300, $400, or maybe even $500 a month student loan payments. Others even maintain the stance that joining the work force directly out of high school is the answer by generating some income without those hairy student loan bills coming in each and every month. It wasn’t after I dove into Liz Addison’s “Two Years Are Better Than Four” that I began to step back and actually think about this on going debate. She begins with a brief story of a guy names Rick Perlstein’s, who’s thought of college, as Americans understand have came to an end. Perlstein’s ideas are based upon the college experience of self-discovery no longer existing as young American’s are prematurely forced into early adulthood; while working, studying and going to school all at the same time is taking away from the true “college experience” and therefor making college not matter like it once had. Addison was quick to correct these allegations as she stated that she herself had attended 2 community colleges where she believes the college experience is still very much alive. She
Cited: Graff, Gerald, and Cathy Birkenstein. They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. Print. Thesis not only is the college experience 2 or 3 paragraphs stating what Perlstein said and what Addison Said and then how I feel before I even get into the start of the essay. More of a distilled experience. College kids don’t need help with the fun aspect of things they need help with the structural side of the experience..