...Rhetorical Analysis Are too many people going to college? This question has been contemplated over for years. The increased cost of college throughout the years has caused the question to become even more relevant. Charles Murray, an author from the American Enterprise Institute, wrote the essay entitled “Are Too Many People Going to College?” Murray’s essay sought ought to explain that universities are being filled with students who are either not prepared for higher education or who are compelled into attending college and are unable to succeed because the lack of inherent abilities. While Murray makes many pertinent points about America’s infatuation with the B.A as a standard into a class of intellectual elite the essay does not take into consideration the individual influences that may lead to a student’s success. This essay will analyze and critique Murray’s view of why the pursuit of a B.A can lead to more harm than good. Murray’s main argument throughout his essay is that the perceived reward of a college degree disseminates to those seeking higher education and inevitably does more harm than good. He argues that many students do not have the ability to enjoy and finish a four year degree. This leads the student to being stigmatized and in debt due to his or her failure. Murray further establishes his argument by saying that more people continue to go to college because they are programmed into believing, regardless of their abilities, to pursue college as an essential development...
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...argument about higher learning has been a long standing controversy. Some people in America question if the core curriculum taught in college prepares college students for the real world. They wonder if the main courses such as English or Science really help students develop the communicating and critical thinking skills needed to get a good job in today’s society. Another argument is the belief that only certain people should go to college, while others believe that everybody should go to college. Two prime examples of these opinions are the opinions of Sanford Ungar and Charles Murray. Ungar believes that everyone should go to college and receive some form of liberal arts degree, while Charles Murray believes that only students in to 90 percentile should go to college. Both men agree that a liberal arts degree is a great thing, but their opinions on when it should be taught and who it should be taught too are very different. While Murray’s points are somewhat accurate I believe that Ungar’s ideas are more persuasive because he recommends that everybody gets a liberal arts degree helping increase the amount of people with the critical thinking and communication skills businesses are looking for. Sanford Ungar wrote the essay 7 Major Misperceptions About the Liberal Arts. In this essay Ungar describes the benefits of getting a liberal arts degree. In misperception 2, Ungar states how even though people believe the notion of “who wants to hire someone with an irrelevant degree...
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...Liberal Arts Education Now that I am in college, I have pondered upon whether a liberal arts education is better than a vocational education; a topic that did not cross my mind in high school. A liberal arts curriculum includes the studies intended to primarily provide general knowledge such as language, philosophy, literature, and abstract science and to develop general intellectual capacities, such as reason and judgment, as opposed to professional or vocational skills (merriam-webster.com). As students wanting to achieve a higher education, we have to think about what we want for ourselves. Either you want to grow as an individual and obtain a major in whichever field you chose, or just learn what best interests you. People have many misconceptions toward what the liberal arts are and how they can benefit you. We often hear things like, “A liberal arts degree will not get you a real job.” or “A liberal arts degree is a luxury not a necessity.” Although this is what the majority of the people who are not aware about the actual facts say, this is not true. An examination of, The New Liberal Arts by author Sanford J. Ungar, and Are Too Many People Going to College? by author Charles Murray, will reveal to us why one gains more knowledge at a liberal arts school. Murray argues that a liberal arts education is only for the elite, but I believe that they shouldn't be the only ones to attend because my vision of a liberal arts college is one where all students come in with the...
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...An Analysis on “Are Too Many People Going to College” Charles Murray’s essay proposes that American colleges are being flooded with individuals who are either unprepared for higher education or who are simply forced into attending college and can’t succeed because of the lack of certain innate abilities. Murray’s essay goes on to take issue with the idea that the pursuit of a traditional college education is somehow strategically creating a separation of the American class system. While Murray makes many salient points with regards to America’s obsession with college education as a standard into a class of the intellectual elite, the essay fails to take into consideration the various motivators that can lead to student success, despite where that student might be on Murray’s ability ladder (Murray Paragraph 13). This essay seeks to analyze Murray’s claims about why the pursuit of a traditional, four-year college education can do more harm than good when it comes to defining success for the individual learner. Rhetorical Analysis The main thesis of Murray’s essay is that the unrealistic pursuit of a college degree, propagates to children at an early age and does more harm than good. Murray claims that many students do not have the ability needed to enjoy and complete a four-year college education (PARAGRAPH 13). Murray further supports his thesis with his reasoning that more people are going to college because they are indoctrinated, regardless of their skilled ability, to...
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...is disputed, many lessons can be appropriated from it. One such lesson is the idea that people are simply different. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses, and it is important to build upon what we enjoy as well as what we are good at. In the article, “Are Too Many People Going To College?” written by Charles Murray, the popularized notion that everyone should go to college is challenged. On the one hand, society pushes the idea that anyone and everyone can be successful, and with enough practice and dedication, one can achieve his or her dreams. On a more practical note, contrary...
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...GEAR Up Waco www.gearupwaco.org The 5-Step Personal Essay Writing Guide: “Future Career” Writing about your future career is an excellent way to show colleges and scholarship organizations how you will use your education. College is not your final destination, but a springboard that will help you reach larger goals in life. Colleges and scholarship organizations do not expect you to be 100% certain about your future job. Don’t be afraid to aim high and write about your dream job. STEP 1: Brainstorm Your Future Career You don’t need to be absolutely certain about your career choice. You’re going to write about your dream job and there’s no limit to what this could be. Answer these questions to help you decide what to put in your essay: 1. What is your dream job? _______________________________________________________ 2. What attracts you to this job? ___________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 3. How did you first get interested in this type of work? Did someone in this career inspire you? How? ________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ 4. What do you hope to accomplish in this career? _____________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ ...
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...of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic. Far too many students begin the search...
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...of reading application essays. The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris, Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership, perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to stand out. A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we write. Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic. Far too many students begin the search...
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...In today’s society technology effects many different people. The largest group effected by technology is college students. There are many good things about technology in this period of time. One of the main things that really have a good effect on college students is a computer. There are many things that college students use computers for. One of the real reasons that almost every college student has a computer in their dorm or in their house is to type up all of those papers that are assigned to them by their professors. Another one of the biggest things in technology is the Internet. You would swear that now someone would die if they didn’t have the Internet. People use the Internet almost everyday to either check e-mail, search something from the Internet, or they can even use it for AOL instant messenger. E-mail is one of the new things in technology that almost everyone is using now instead of the mail service. This is a really good thing for college students because this is a cheap way of keeping in touch with everyone you know without having to spend a fortune on phone calls. College students can also e-mail their professors about something that is going wrong, why they won’t be in class, or they can also e-mail their professors their essays or papers. Researching on the Internet is a very famous thing too. College students can use this to look up information on a topic that they have to write a paper on or just look up anything in general. AOL instant messenger is...
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...the Planning your future page to see some of the things it could be useful to mention. • Explore your options • Undergraduate • When to apply • Filling in your application • Personal statement • Reference, pay and send • Tracking your application • Results • Student number controls • Fraud and similarity • Performing arts • Postgraduate • Teacher training • Flexible and part-time • International • Starting your studies • Student finance • Mature students • Parents and guardians • Advisers and referees Your personal statement Write a personal statement that shows you'd be a great student – to persuade unis and colleges to accept you on their course. • Course tutors use personal statements to compare applicants, so try to make yours stand out. • Remember it's the same personal statement for all courses you apply to – so avoid mentioning universities or colleges by name, and ideally choose similar subjects. If they're varied then write about common themes – like problem solving or creativity. Personal statements BSL personal statement video How to write your personal statement This video looks at how to get started, as well as common fears and concerns. • Watch more video guides Signed personal statement video This signed video takes you through what to consider when writing your personal statement. • Watch more BSL video guides Where to start Most applicants...
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...Is College Worth It? From the day we start school, it is drilled into our brain that college is the only way to have a good future, but that may not be the case at all. One might be tempted to point to the many successful people out there without a college degree such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg, but ordinary people can also achieve success without a college degree. At least, that’s what Charles Murray, Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill, and Mike Rose argue in their essays titled “Are Too Many People Going to College?”, “Should Everyone Go to College?”, and “Blue-Collar Brilliance”. These authors believe that that college promotes social inequality, that college is not a requirement for a good job, and that college is not...
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...StudyMode - Premium and Free Essays, Term Papers & Book Notes • Essays • Resource Center I'm Researching... • danielynn31 d… • • • ◦ Back danielynn31 Saved Recents Uploads My Answers ◦ Back ◦ Ask a Question ◦ My Questions ◦ My Answers ◦ Preferences • Account ◦ Back ◦ Account Settings ◦ Profile ◦ Sign Out • • • • • I'm Researching... Products • • • • • Home Research Drive Answers Texty • • • • • Company Legal Site Map Contact Advertise About • • • ©2016 StudyMode.com 1. Home > 2. Debt > 3. Student Loan Crisis... < Back to Debt Student Loan Crisis Research Paper Debt, Education finance, Higher education • • • • By sympathys Jun 11, 2013 1348 Words 220 Views PAGE 1 OF 5 �PAGE � How to Make College More Affordable Many of the protesters occupying Wall Street and other places say they are upset about the rising price of going to college. There is little dispute today that the number of students who have debt has increased, and that the amount of money they have borrowed has gone up (Billitteri). Many students incur large amounts of debt that will never pay dividends in higher wages or greater job satisfaction, and they graduate into a world with weak employment prospects. It's a betrayal of the American social contract that says if you work hard and invest in yourself through education, you'll be able to build a better life. The current system is badly in need of an overhaul...
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...Why college education is important to me? I strongly believe one of the most critical ways of reaching your dreams and goals in life are to have a college education. Without a college education you may find it extremely difficult to have a good enough career that will provide you and your family with enough money to do the extra things in life that are pleasurable and exciting. I also strongly believe that having a college education will teach my children that continuing their education beyond high school equals success for them in the future. Without a college education one cannot reach their full potential thus making them unable to achieve their highest and most sought after dreams and goals. One of the main reasons to continue your education and get a college degree is that it opens many doors of opportunity and allows us to obtain a better career. It is hard to find a decent job that will pay you a decent salary with only a high school education. Although a college education does not guarantee success it does give a little bit of an edge over a high school graduate applying for the same position. You have more choices in careers with a college degree thus giving you more choices in life. Having a college degree for the most part means having more money. More money means being able to do things that you cannot do with a job obtained by only having a high school education. In my case it is important to me because it played a huge role in my child custody case. I was...
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...Professor Munro English 102-1EC September 1, 2015 Is A College Education Worth The Money? Whether or not a college education is worth the money is a controversial topic. Some people believe that a college education gives them a sense of accomplishment, more job opportunities, and the opportunity for a better paying job. While others challenge this position, claiming that even with a college education they are not guaranteed a good paying job, will be stuck with debt, and in reality people do not need a college education in order to be successful. It seems clear that a college education is a worthwhile investment because depending on someone’s career path it can give them many opportunities and open up a lot more doors in their future. A college education will help others get a better paying job. In an essay posted in USA Today states “the average weekly income for those who have jobs” as follows: “people with a high school degree makes $444, which is less than a person with an associate degree that makes $767. A person with a bachelor’s degree makes $1,038, which is less than a person that has a doctoral degree that makes $1,550.” (Smith) It is a chain that can go on. The less educated a person is the less they will get paid. Before I came to college, I worked for a private practice doctor for about four years. When I started I was getting paid $8.00 an hour, and when I left four years later I was making $9.00. A college education will open more doors for me and give me more...
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...with a price to the masters and their apprentices. Although the system today is quite modernized and is commonly available to all, scholars of the highest degree were the only participants, save it be the masters, of such study in the early days of college. This is also due to the fact that the general population was illiterate. Time passed on and shortly thereafter, universities were beginning to spread like wildfire throughout the nations and the ability to attend such institutions passed down to those who were wealthy or intelligent enough to be accepted. Masters with their students were the leaders of such centers, and they were free to delve into any subject they wished until the desire to become recognized grew. Recognition esteemed them to be great but at such a cost that they studied theology more intently than the liberal arts in order for them to catch the Pope’s eye. Fortunate for education, it progressed far passed theology to explore into the depths of science, reasoning, and technology which came much later in time. Fast forward a few centuries and a higher education became a more and more desirable accomplishment in society. This was especially so during the days of the Enlightenment. Upon the Enlightenment, many new minds were added to the playing field of knowledge and upper-level thinking which changed the game completely. This change came from multiple new participants of higher education that expanded the perception...
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