Is Higher Education for Everyone? Spring is the time for new starts and beginnings. Spring is the time when students in high school are

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1 Gittins 1 Marisa Gittins Allison Fernley April 6, 2013 Annotated Bibliography Is Higher Education for Everyone? Spring is the time for new starts and beginnings. Spring is the time when students in high school are making their graduation plans. There is more talk in the air of what their future plans will be. There are so many options available for anyone with a desire to improve their life or career. The question is, whether higher education is for everyone? Can a person who didn t receive higher education be equally successful as someone with the higher education under their belt? Neither of my parents attended college. Both are successful in their careers now. I will have my Associate s degree in just a few short months and currently plan to transfer to work on my Bachelor s degree. As I go University shopping I am left wondering, am I doing the right thing? I have been employed at my current job for 10 years, I love what I do but there are limits on progressing. Addison, Liz. "Two Years Are Better Than Four." "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. By Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: Norton, Print. Community College system is a hidden gem. Community colleges are not talked about a lot as schools to attend. Addison, a graduate from Southern Main Community College argues that universities no longer matter as much as they once did instead she encourages starting at a small community college. Many people don t know where to start when they decide to gain higher education. A two year college can jump start you on a path to gaining more education at a University. Success in life is not based on education alone. However as we look around us, everyone knows someone who is not achieving their highest potential in life. A little assistance from teachers and professionals focused on undergraduate success can make all the difference. Many people think higher education is not for them. Community

2 Gittins 2 Colleges offer a chance to try out the college experience. Undergraduate studies are a time that learning takes place without worrying about a possible pay off. A two year community college can offer more flexible options for tailoring course work to meet the real needs of your desired vocation. Addison uses logic to explain that community college is a place where one can find the Start line of the race of life. It makes sense to have a place that unconditionally allows its students to begin improving their life. Addison uses a line that says, The community college system is America s hidden service gem. This makes it seem possible for anyone, and connects emotionally to anyone that feels like there is no hope for them. This source is only convincing as the author s experience. There is not much evidence whether this advice would be best for all readers. This piece has affected my thinking on the issue because it gave light to the importance of just starting somewhere. Maybe higher education is or isn t for you, but you won t always know without giving it a try. Community Colleges offer services for a wide range of abilities, and interests. Taking higher education courses can help you to know where you will be most successful in life. Hacker, Andrew, and Claudia Dreifus. "Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?" "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. By Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: Norton, Print. Is higher education worth the cost of tuition? Hacker and Dreifus did some research on this topic. They researched and made some academic proposals of how higher education could be worth the price, if teaching and learning are approached correctly. Undergraduate studies are a time to stretch one s intellect. Colleges and Universities should make students think and use their minds. When choosing a college that will meet your higher education needs, choose wisely. Choose a school where the energy of the teachers is focused on educating undergraduates and giving them the keys to succeed. Where you turn for your higher education is very important. Nothing outshines a superb teacher who wants to see success in their students. Great teachers can be found in small seminars or large lecture halls. Hacker

3 Gittins 3 and Dreifus make the point that great teachers can be found and if you desire to obtain higher education you will have a support system in your teachers and professors. This article gives hope of change. It draws you in emotionally with comments such as parents worrying about their children s future. Logically Hacker and Dreifus bring up the point that colleges demand good teaching. They include many proposals or examples of what they believe will set things right, using specific examples from colleges and universities all around the nation. There is a great financial commitment associated with college. Hacker and Dreifus work to have their audience see past the dollar signs and instead see how their life can be improved. Everything that you learn in the classroom will not directly be associated with your chosen career path. However it will mold you to be the person that you are. As I read this article it gives me hope that there are places where teachers will desire to make a difference in their student s life for the better. If higher education is a desire or dream of yours there is not excuse to not finding the start line in life. Murray, Charles. "Are Too Many People Going to College?" "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. By Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: Norton, Print. In a culture it is necessary to have core knowledge on basic topics to be considered literate. Murray argues that participation in any culture requires familiarity with a wide variety of knowledge. Through elementary school to high school core knowledge topics are discussed and taught at a level appropriate to their students. Is a college education necessary for everyone? A large proportion of people who are theoretically prepared for college will choose not to attend. Murray states, liberal education does not make sense for everyone. Some will chose to have vocational training and in turn become very successful in their desired vocation. For some desired vocations a four year classroom experience is ridiculous. Individuals with a bachelor degree earn more on average than people without them. However employers do not value what the student learned while in school, just that they have a degree.

4 Gittins 4 A good way to find work is to be the best at what you do. When deciding if you should attend college, really take the time to think about your situation and where you would be most successful. Income for a wide variety of occupations that do not require a college degree is higher than average income for many occupations requiring a bachelor s degree. Where will you be most happy and make the biggest difference? College is becoming an expectation from parents for their children. Murray encourages his audience to consider: Are we being closed minded thinking college is the only answer for success? It appears that Charles Murray has done a lot of research on the topic of college. Murray has written articles for various places like the Washington Post, and New York Times. Murray uses lines such as, capable and cultivated human beings. Everyone wants to be considered capable so I am sure as reading this line you may be intrigued to continue reading. Murray gives very specific details of what he considers necessary core knowledge to be successful. Murray believes that too many people are attending college- why is this? Murray gets his points across by focusing on your intellect. Is Higher education is for everyone? This article assists me in understanding that maybe higher education isn t for everyone. However those who choose to have it will be more successful and prepared for a greater variety of occupations. Higher education will be more successful if it truly is the student s choice and not altered by parent s approval. The choice however is to be the best at whatever you choose to do with your career path. Reeves, W.J. "College Isn't For Everyone." USA Today Magazine (2003): 32. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Mar Many high school students and their parents think that a college degree is the only way for success in the 21 st century. Reeves challenges this idea by encouraging thought on why or why not college may be for you. Going to college can be a waste of time if the choice to go is not thoroughly considered. If you think that you can just go through the motions while attending college performing similar to in high

5 Gittins 5 school than you may not be as successful. College not only prepares you academically but also helps to develop key qualities desirable by any employer. Higher education is very costly for mid-income families. Higher education is a great commitment. This commitment is not for everyone. When choosing what will meet your educational needs, one must choose wisely. The patterns and behaviors developed in education can influence your success in life. Community colleges may be the answer for high school graduates as they find themselves and decide what they can do to be the most successful. This article outlined the commitment involved in attending college. Reeves was persuasive by using logic and touching on emotions. He encouraged his audience to take a stand in their life and make the decision whether higher education is for you. It encourages the reader to evaluate their commitment level. One never wants to consider something that they are doing to be a waste of time. We all want to do or be better in our life. Having a place where patterns are developed for success would encourage anyone to follow their heart. I feel that this article was well written and pushed me to really consider my personal circumstances. Am I committed to making college all that it can be for me? If the desire is there then one should attend college. If you do not personally have the desire, reconsider other options at this time. The key is really determining where you would be the most happy and successful. Rose, Mike. "Blue-Collar Brilliance." "They Say, I Say": The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing: With Readings. By Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst. New York: Norton, Print. Some people seem to believe a notion that work requiring less schooling requires less intelligence. Bluecollar jobs often require more thinking on your feet than some might realize. Rose shared examples of both his mother and uncle and their experiences in the Blue-collar world. Rose s mother worked as a waitress. There is a lot involved in being a waitress. From the physical work to the mental work of

6 Gittins 6 remembering orders, managing the tables, and keeping the customers happy. Rose s Uncle worked on an assembly line. His contributions and experience in the field led to many improvements. Many Bluecollar jobs are taken for granted. Without them our society wouldn t move forward as smoothly. There is so much done behind the scenes by remarkable people who do not necessarily have a college education. On the job training is essential for success and is irreplaceable. Experience in the field can be more beneficial than traditional education. This article really touches the reader emotionally. Rose speaks from personal experience about something that he witnessed for many years. Of course this subject matter is important to him based off of his connections with the characters. His writing also has some logic, bring up examples of work that most don t realize are behind the scenes being a waitress or working in an assembly line. It is admirable that they worked so hard and made an impact on so many others. Receiving a traditional education from books in a brick building is not always the dream. Realizing that you can be successful as long as you are doing your best is the answer. Higher education may not be for everyone. This is okay because we need a variety of contributions in our society. There is no specific recipe for success. Is Higher Education for everyone? I think that this has been answered as being a very personal question for each person. If you feel that this is something that you want then you should go for your dreams. It is important to make the decision independent from the promptings of others. If you make the decision to gain higher education do a lot of research to find what/where will be best for you. There are so many options available for anyone with a desire. If you decide not to pursue higher education than consider other ways that you can continue to grow and learn in your desired occupation. The bottom line is choosing to have commitment and follow through with whatever your decision may be.