People go to college to get a good paying job, have job security, and get a degree. Well at least that’s what it should be about. That’s what Charles Murray believes in his essay “Are Too Many People Going to College.” Murray counters the argument of Sanford Ungar who believes colleges should have a more liberal approach towards its classes and have students actually learn a broad range of real life skills instead of just going into a career just because it pays well. In Ungar’s essay he explains the misperception that Americans have on obtaining a liberal-arts degree and how they believe it doesn’t translate well to the real world.
Schlack sums up the issue in three key words, “status, economics and competition”. By identifying these three factors, schack strengthens his appeal towards the reader by letting them know that he understands what is false about their ideas of going to college. Additionally, Schlack gives an example of a student who is brainwashed by parents and teachers who push them towards going to college. “ college is like your life. If you don 't go to college… you can 't live a successful life”.
In his article, “Are Too Many People Going to College?” Charles Murray argues that too many people are going to college universities when they should be focusing on other lifestyle options. In his opinion, whether or not to attend college is a personal decision that should be thoroughly thought through. When weighed with the unrealistic prerequisites, the financial expenses, and the time needed to obtain a degree, many people will find that attending college will not be beneficial to them. Speaking of this Murray attests, “The question here is not whether the traditional four-year residential college is fun or valuable as a place to grow up, but when it makes sense as a place to learn how to make a living.
The most beneficial thing in life is to study something that interests you. When students are choosing what college to further their studies they consider: the cost, the social status of the school, and the programs the college carries. Professor Mark Edmunson gives his message on what students should consider in his article "Who Are You and What Are You Doing Here?", published on August 22nd 2011 in Issue 74 in The Oxford American. This essay is about Edmundson's viewpoint on education and that it is hard to get one. But if you do something you enjoy doing and work hard at it you will become successful.
As a result students have changed and the perception of subjects have changed to reflect the societal changes. In William Zinsser’s essay “College Pressures” he outlines the the differences he has witnessed in the students at Yale University in comparison to their predecessors. When elaborating on the reasons students decide their majors and ultimately careers, Zinsser states “The parents mean well; they are trying to steer their sons and daughters toward a secure future. But the sons and daughters want to study history or classics or philosophy- subjects with no ‘practical’ value” (Zinsser 400). Education is seen by many people as the only route to success and generally viewed as a safe bet for success.
The stresses and strains that are put on young adults today is getting out of hand. Between the work that school demands from students to the cost it takes to put one self through school is unreasonable. The dignity of students is at stake. Students are not only stressed and constantly worried about the work it takes to pass classes and graduate, but they are also stressed with the cost it takes to simply stay enrolled in their field of study if they are in college or maintain a scholarship. With the great power of education comes great responsibility.
Sacrificing their individuality and creativity is just a step in the right direction towards their version of success. Even though sacricinfing one’s true self is great, they are willing to do so if it brings them profit in their own lives. Ultimately, the selfish need for success outweighs the corruption and negativity it brings to the overall system, and in that respect, restricts itself from progressing towards change. Because a generic system like a college can not cater to every individual, there are always concrete flaws, one of which is the pressure to confrom.
Are Too Many People Going To College In this essay, Charles Murray is basically talking about that a student should learn most of the information in there high school career. Then most likely already learned what they should learn what they teach in college and it might not be necessary for them to even go to college. Charles Murray also mentioned that the most important knowledge should be learned in the K-8 grades.
Throughout the essay, Charles Murray stresses the idea that college is the wonderland of finding oneself and to find the career that one would want to follow for the rest of their lives. “College is seen as the open sesame to a good job and a desirable way for adolescents to transition to adulthood. Neither reason is as persuasive as it first appears.” Murray, C (2008) Practically spoken, this is not normally the case. College is a fair amount of work, much more work than one would normally acquire through any course of a high school or secondary school setting.
As a college student who is currently spending thousands of dollars to further my education and achieve a career goal, it was, at first, disheartening to read Caroline Bird ’s essay “College is a Waste of Time and Money”. However, after thoroughly examining her points, I now see that her essay is illogical. In her piece “College is a Waste of Time and Money”, Caroline Bird argues against the idea that “college is the best place for all high-school graduates” (1); in other words, college isn’t for everyone. Throughout her writing, Bird supplies her readers with evidence that explains how, for some individuals, college is a waste of not only time and money, but of intellectual effort, as well.
If a person’s parent or guardian drilled the idea of college into your head, or if they told you ‘do what you want’ or ‘I don 't care’, or ‘You’re not going’. While college is great, there are other means of education. The value of college is a low because there are people who do not qualify for a college education, and also because there are other ways of post-secondary education other than college. College is not valuable because many people will not make it into a 2 or 4-year college, much less graduate from one. To support this, in the article Why College Isn 't For Everyone, it says, “As a general rule, I would use graduates in the top quarter of their class at a high-quality high school should go on to a four-year degree program, while those in the bottom quarter of their classes at a high school with a mediocre educational reputation should not.”
A rising issue in today’s society is deciding whether or not college is worth the cost. There is an extreme amount of pressure that is forced upon high school students by parents, teachers, and peers to further their education and attend college. However, there is research that challenges the thought that college is the best possible path for a person to take. College may be a great investment for some people, but it is not meant for everyone. This is supported by the arguments that colleges are expensive, jobs do not always require a college degree, and students are forced to choose a lifestyle before being exposed to the real world.
Monetary and Societal Obstacles Societal simply comes from the word society and it means relating to society. Monetary refers to money. In our society monetary and societal obstacles can intertwine. These obstacles can even build on each other. Consequently, this can cause bigger problems if they are not handled correctly.
In “College Pressures” by William Zinsser, leader of one of the residential colleges at Yale University, the author describes the different amount of pressures that students struggle with in college. Because of his position at the university, he constantly noticed the students around him and the anxiety that was radiating off them. He believes that economic pressures cause students to feel anxious about paying back student loans after college. However, parental pressure leads students to make decisions that their parents would be happy with because of the feeling of guilt and wanting to please them.
Students face various challenges throughout their college career. Thus, the problems that students have can range from balance, new lifestyle, to financial problems. Therefore, finding a balance between being a student, possibly working, and keeping up with their social life is a necessity. Similarly, others are away from home for the first time thus, they have a new responsibility with being on their own and findings ways to deal with homesickness. Likewise, being exposed to new financial situations is yet another challenge college students will need to learn how to cope with.
