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The advantages of college education to society
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I own a small grocery store located in Woodland Hills, California. First and foremost, I would like to thank you, Los Angeles City Council, for making time in your compacted agenda to talk to us today. We are concerned community members who would like to discuss the importance of the establishment of community colleges in the Los Angeles County. Jeffrey S. Selingo points out, “It’s unfortunate community colleges suffer from such a negative stereotype because so many people who end up going to a four-year college… end up dropping out.. Would be better off starting at a two-year college” (1). This quote serves as Jeffrey Selingo’s thesis for his argument for his argument. He clearly states that community colleges are viewed upon with pessimistic …show more content…
At a community college because it would prevent them from dropping out. As the quote above states for some students a community college is necessary in order to succeed that is why it is crucial for the reevaluation for the decision on the removal of community colleges. Many students have come into my grocery store concerned about the removal of facilities like these. A community college to many students, is a place where they can pursue their education. As a former student of Los Angeles Pierce College , I would like to advocate for those that do not have the courage to do so because if I would not have attended Pierce College I never have been in the place I am at today. It is crucial for you to consider the great advantage community colleges can provide for our …show more content…
An example of this community dynamic is the activities available for children: summer camp, sports, and involvement of the arts. These activities allow kids the opportunity to have a place to be curious and direct their energy toward a specific subject of their interest; eventually, when time does come for a child to go to college he or she will appreciate the skills developed in community colleges. Not only does Pierce provide children with a place for kids to unleash who they truly are but it allows parents of these children to facilitate the process for them. Community colleges allows parents the opportunity to take classes - like child development- to understand what specific topics their kids are thinking while exploring several subject which will potentially lead to a career. These courses provide a strong connection so when children ask their parents for guidance. Their parents will actually know what to do and will be ready to answer any question and will facilitate the process toward the pursuit of a college career. In, “The case for (community) college” by Christina Pazzanese she explains, ”I come from poverty, and I knew my parents were never going to be able to help me out with college.” (1). This piece of the article serves as Pazzanese’s hook to captivate the audience and to explain the fact that sometimes parents are not able to help
Every parent wants their child to go to college in order to gain a higher level of learning, but is this truly the best option? In recent years, many have begun to question whether or not a college education is necessary in today’s world. It’s not. College is not worth its cost because of its financial burdens, lack of teaching hands on experience, and its very particular methods that don’t work with some people.
In “Two Years Are Better than Four”, Liz Addison argues against Rick Perlstein’s article “What’s the Matter With College?”. While Perlstein questions the value of college as it currently is, Addison argues that the “community college system is America’s hidden public service gem”(Addison 257). By way of that, she defends the value of college. Unsurprisingly, as with most situations, the truth is somewhere in between ends of a spectrum created by these two articles. While I agree with Addison’s idea of community college being an accessible starting point for everyone, she fails to appropriately represent the unique culture often found in these types of colleges. Also, I think that she also fails to look at the overall purpose of attending school and then neglects to acknowledge the benefits of a four year university.
One major decision one must make after exiting high school is whether to go to a university or go to community college. In the article “Two Year Are Better Than Four,” written by Liz Addison. She expressed her opinion on the significance of community colleges in comparison with the university. She stated that community college do not receive the acknowledgment and appreciation that they deserve. “what’s the matter with colleges?,” (Addison 255). although, there is a lot to agree with within the article there are some faulty statements that two year colleges don’t offer the best education possible and that community college are more engaging and individualized for a student and the price is also much less expensive than a university education.
In the past several years, there has been a growing trend in the number of college-bound individuals getting two-year degrees from community colleges or earning certification for their desired career field at vocational schools. Such schools certainly seem to have some valuable qualities: all boast of having lower costs than other colleges, of their absence of student loans, of allowing people to make more money quicker, of being narrowly focused so students don’t have to take classes they don’t need. They attempt to point out apparent weaknesses in liberal arts colleges as well, claiming that such an education is unnecessary in today’s world. However, for every reason to go to a community or two-year college, a vocational track, or an apprenticeship, there is another, stronger reason for going to a traditional, four-year college, and the liberal arts degree gained at four year colleges far outstrips the degree gained at a two year school or through a vocational track.
The author, Julia Brookshire Everett commenced the article, “Public Community Colleges: Creating Access and Opportunities for First Generation College Students”, by first characterizing first- generation college students and also expounding on the difficulties first-generation students encountered when acquiring post-secondary degrees. According to Everett (2015), the term ‘first- generation college student’ was first coined in the 1960s in order to regulate student eligibility for federally financed programs to aid students from low-income households.
Attendance at a technical college or local 2-year school was deplorably referenced to as “loser’s territory” and if you dared to enroll in one anyway and followed through to graduation, well you were congratulated but to a lackluster fanfare. Some community college graduates still receive this reception upon exit of a community college but attitudes are definitely changing. Today more than ever, degree-seeking individuals are paving the path to their careers through the entrance and exit doors of community colleges. These well-informed leaders of the new school have realized a smarter way to education; that a bachelor’s degree or taking a traditional route to obtain one is not necessarily the best or right way to be a successful and employable member of society.
I’m currently enrolled in Montgomery College, located in Maryland. Montgomery College is a community college. Community colleges are different in comparison to four-year universities. I had a choice of either getting a job or going to college. There are many reasons why I choose to go to Montgomery College. I chose to go to college because I want to pursue a degree in Psychology. When choosing a college, there are a lot of decisions to make and you have to choose what’s best in your interest. In today’s society, community colleges take up a lot of the students going to pursue their education. President Obama has proposed to make all community colleges free for all Americans and I agree with this statement. People have different perspectives
Long ago, receiving education was once something only the rich could afford; it was a luxury. Nowadays it is open to everyone, but many students enter college only to discover that they are underprepared, and in turn they become disenchanted. David Leonhardt’s article, The College Dropout Boom, addresses the issues that are apparent in the education system and how it contributes to the gap between the upper and lower class while Access to Attainment by Abby Miller, Katherine Valle, Jennifer Engle, and Michelle Cooper calls to improve access to college education for today’s students. This is incredibly important because many students either drop out or never attended college and in today’s time, having a Bachelor’s degree has become a requirement
Since I grew up in a household with two parents who are college graduates, and even two grandparents who had graduated from college, the idea of attending college was never seen as a unique opportunity, but rather as a necessary part of my future. I’m not going to complain about growing up with parents who valued the pursuit of knowledge, but it certainly never exposed me to the mindset that maybe college is not the best option for everyone after high school. Today, there is a huge debate over if the price of college is really worth it in the end, with the high cost of tuition and the number of people who just aren’t prepared for the demands that college has to offer. And on the other side, some say that college is a necessity not just in one’s
Many people look at going to a university before considering a community college. I can speak for myself as I did not even consider a community college when applying to colleges. Although community colleges do not offer living on campus or sports, they can still fulfill anyones dreams. Speaking through my own experiences, most students choose a university to get away from home and live the “college lifestyle” that everyone dreams about at eighteen years old. Sometimes we need to take a step back though and see which choice makes the most since to choose overall. A community college offers what a university has, and that is an
Everyone knows that person from high school that just wasn’t cut out for college. It’s not a bad thing by any means, but if you’re thinking about heading off to college like many American teenagers often do, think about this: going to college can be a waste of both your time and your money. I’m not the first to say it, and I sure as hell won’t be the last. In Stephanie Owen and Isabel Sawhill’s essay, Should Everyone Go to College?, the two authors take a strong economic approach to justify going to college. Owen, an ex- senior research assistant at Brookings’ Center on Children and Families and current research associate at the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan center for research on the problems of urban communities, and Sawhill, the co-director of the Center on Children and Families and a senior fellow in economic studies at Brookings, claim that the return on investment (ROI) of a college education is overwhelmingly positive on average; However, they also bring light
Because universities are extending the number of applicants they are accepting, a lot of people question whether community colleges still matter. Personally, I share Liz Addison, for¬¬¬mer Southern Maine Community College student and graduate of Royal Veterinary College in London, opinion that appears in her essay “Two Years Are Better than Four” published in 2007. In her essay, even though Addison rebuts Rick Perlstein’s perspective that community colleges no longer matter as they once did, explains the philosophy of community college, and recounts her college experience, she mostly focus on proving her opinion, stated in the last paragraph of the essay, that “college does still matter”(258). In other words, Adison thinks that college still
Entry to community college allows just that. Addison explains, “just follow any one of the 1,655 road signs, and pop your head inside—yes, independent film, a first independent thought, a first independent study” (212). Many potential college prospects are turned away because this self-discovery found in community college cannot be found in private college; however, Addison insists that community college is the golden ticket to regain these would-be scholars. To begin, acceptance is necessary for admittance to many colleges—not community college. In the words of Addison, “down at X.Y.C.C. it is still possible to enter the college experience as a rookie” (213). Any student desiring education, preparation, and self-discovery does not need to look any further than community college, which, for some students, is the only shot at the college experience. On top of this, community colleges provide opportunities like no college—public or private—could. Community colleges provide introductory courses that could not be found in regular institutions; this allows students to explore and get their feet under them. To find and pursue an interest proves more difficult at a college because intense classes are provided from the beginning, whether students have declared a major or have yet to decide. In sum, Addison claims that an atmosphere designed
The debate on whether or not students should attend college after achieving a high school degree is one that many would like to consider two-sided; Debra Humphreys says that “going to college is clearly better than not going,” but Claire Potter mentions the opposite side, quoting an unnamed professor who says that “the vast majority of people who end up in our community college system don’t belong in college at all.” I would argue that the issue is not two-sided, and that there are more complexities to the issue than are always printed in media; to say that all college students should go to college or that all should not attempt to place a variety of different cases into a single group. Perhaps a better option is to say that college (in the traditional sense, with boarding and special liberal arts programs) should be recognized as an option for students immediately after their high school graduation, but other options, including the choice to go to vocational school or entrance straight into the workforce, should be considered.
Discounted Dreams: High Hopes and Harsh Realities at America’s Community College. Prod. John Merrow. PBS Home Video 2007. DVD.