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Summary Of Two Years Are Better Than Four By Liz Addison

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In her article, “Two Years Are Better Than Four,” Liz Addison argues that community colleges are important because they offer the opportunity for self-discovery that so many today long for. It is commonly argued that colleges don’t have any worth because they expect students to have already gained knowledge and experience before attending. In Addison’s opinion, while this may be true for some four-year universities, community colleges don’t have such unrealistic expectations. When talking about four-year universities Addison says, “prove yourself worldly, insightful, cultured, mature, before you get to college. Yet, down at X.Y.C.C. [a community college] it is still possible to enter the college experience as a rookie” (Addison 213). Because …show more content…

A lot of people want to learn, but don’t think that going to a university is right for them. This may be for financial reasons or just because they think that it’s too much for them. This is where community colleges come in. Instead of focusing on finances or background, they accept people and teach them where they’re at. This is similar to the speech made by Sir Ken Robinson called “Changing Education Paradigms” when he talks about the education system needing to change their priorities. This is furthered by Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus in their article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”. They criticize colleges for not changing their priorities to value undergraduate learning. Community colleges do so by valuing the education of the individuals over other factors. In David Foster Wallace’s speech to a class of graduating students, called “Kenyon Commencement Speech”, he also talks about an important part of education being an awareness of one’s surroundings. If this was a colleges attitude, would it value teaching people as the greatest priority or whether or not a student can afford to learn and has previous knowledge of such? The way that community colleges respect student learning shows their difference in priorities from a college

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Liz Addison, who graduated from Piedmont Virginia Community College and Southern Maine Community College agreed that community college was better than a university. Addison believed that a four-year college was for the “privileged class”. Addison viewed universities as the “privileged class” due to students applying at their curriculum vitae. In addition, Liz Addison tells the importance of community college. Addison then goes on to tell how high school graduates have a hard time getting into universities; the odds of entering would be low.

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The purpose of her essay is to prove to her audience, mainly soon-to-be college students or parents of future students, that college is still a vital part of planning your future. She effectively advertises community college as a cheaper alternative to four-year universities and their skyrocketing tuition prices; and tries to persuade her readers that attending Community College can be just as important as going to a traditional four-year university because they allow you to begin your college education at

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598 Words | 3 Pages

In the article “Two Years are Better than Four,” Liz Addison argues that community college is better than four year universities, such as the one Rick Perlstein attended. Where Perlstein reminisces about his days in college and claims that the greatness of American colleges is gone. Addison makes it apparent to the reader that she not only disagrees with Perlstein, but makes remarks suggesting that she believes that Perlstein’s college days were less for studying and more for partying and enjoying the fact that he went to a fancy private college. Addison continues by detailing some of the opportunities for people that attend community college such as being affordable, a place for the student to begin, and possibly a better match for students’ lives. She claims that this is the way college is intended to be and by no means is college as we knew it coming to an end.

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In his Essay “Are too many people going to college,” first published in a 2008 issue of AEI, Charles Murray explores many insights onto the topic of furthering education as well as exploring various other options to pursue after high school. Who exactly would think that too many people are going to college? Well with more and more students flooding campuses at the end of every school year and less and less going into trade schools, a shift in the job market is just beginning to be seen on the horizon. Charles Murray’s essay “Are too many people going to college” shows that not only are there other avenues to pursue a potential life long career, but that much of the time pursuing these avenues may offer better results for some wanting to go to college.

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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.

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“3 Reasons College Still Matters” by Andrew Delbanco 3) “Surely, every American college ought to defend this waning possibility, whatever we call it. And an American college is only true to itself when it opens its doors to all - the rich, the middle, and the poor - who have the capacity to embrace the precious chance to think and reflect before life engulfs them. If we are all serious about democracy, that means everyone.” 4) In this part of the writing Andrew Delbanco tries to persuade his audience by using the pattern of logic that agrees with the overall argument but also considers another striking point of view to strengthen the argument (While these arguments are convincing, they must also consider…).

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Is college still important and relevant? The question is answered and confirmed when Liz Addison, author of “Two Years Are Better than Four”, wrote a counter argument in order to disprove the opposing views of Rick Perlstein, the author of, “What’s the Matter with College”. The topic that is being brought to light is the subject of whether or not college still matters. Perlstein that college is no longer what it used to be. It was after reading Perlstein’s article that Addison masterfully wrote her counter argument which successfully contradicted the opinionated, inaccurate views of Rick Perlstein.

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Martha Nussbaum, then reminds the reader that these types of colleges are very active in class and to stay afloat in them, it’s highly recommended that you participate in class, no longer can just relax and look out of the class’s windows and expect to pass, “is its characteristic emphasis on the active participation of the child in inquiry and questioning.” This relates back to what Ronald Barnett wrote about. Both writers are trying to convince their readers that college is no place to fool around. If you plan on succeeding you must push yourself, ask questions, participate in classes and do hours of library work that might just lead you nowhere. College is a time to grow and isn’t always

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Can Two Be Greater Than Four? Does college really matter? Has college lost its rite to passage appeal? Can one still go to college and be successful in the pursuit of self-discovery? These are the types of questions that Liz Addison challenges in her short essay “Two Years Are Better Than Four”. By taking into account my own experience as a current community college student and advocate, in this response to Addison’s essay I choose to elaborate on her views of community college being better than a four year university in the sense of offering a better college experience.

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However, it is still an issue for students to cough up that money. The idea of making community college free to any student in America has been a dream for low income students for a while. President Obama’s desire to make the tuition of community college to everyone in the nation would only make it difficult for students to get a free education, limit them to essential resources, and discourage students from applying to four year universities. Granting free community college tuition to incoming freshmen will draw “more students to already crowded community colleges”. Along with the overcrowded campuses, a very long waiting list will soon form making it just as competitive to get into a four year university.

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1420 Words | 6 Pages

In the United States a community college is defined as a nonresidential junior college offering courses to people living in a particular area. They are post secondary schools and are also referred to as junior colleges, vocational or technical schools because generally the course of study is for two years. The student can earn an associates degree or certification and/or continue their education by transfering to a four year college to complete their educational pursuits and earn a Bachelor 's degree. Community colleges started in the late 1800’s and have grown and evolved over the years. Today many four year colleges and universities have become so expensive to attend that many prospective students are opting for the more affordable alternative of a community college for their first two years of study where they can save money by living at home and taking classes that will transfer to a four year institution, however, there are students that cannot afford the lower cost of community colleges.

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Going to college for many students is just a normal part of life. It is what will enable them to get an education that eventually will lead to get a well-paid job and the resources and the status to live a comfortable life. But for college professor, Andrew Delbanco, the American college has a higher purpose. In the article “College at Risk”, Delbanco states that colleges should be promoting critical thinking among students, through knowledge of the past and the interaction with each other; as well as, help them discover their talents and passions and figure out what they want to do in life. This type of education is called liberal arts and for Delbanco, it represents the ideal education.

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“I owe it all to community College” Summary and Response In Tom’s Hanks article “I owe it all to community college”, he tells us a little bit of his own personal life experience and how attending to a community college changed his life. Tom Hanks starts off with addressing to us that he was an underachieving student that had lousy SAT scores. He then mentions that he apply to two well known colleges, but never got accepted it to any of them and then goes off with telling us that the last application he send was to Chabot (a community college) in Hayward, California. Hanks then describes all the courses that Chabot offers and as well all the various programs that they give, he tells us how there are different genders

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Our challenge is that each of us fully understand that this is society’s expectation of us. Read any issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Community College Journal, or the Community College Times. Pay attention to federal and state discussions of higher education and policies directed to higher education. It was not always this way. I am not saying which way is right or wrong.

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The idea of community colleges to me is a place to get a good education and explore different options, and meet some great people. On the web site of the American Association of Community Colleges it says, “The mission of the community college is to provide education for individuals, many of whom are adults, in its service region”. This means that

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