Critical Analysis : Senior Year

The essay, “Two years are better than Four” was written by Lis Addison which was published in the They Say, I Say book. This essay is about the author, Liz Addison explaining her feelings and experiences of going to a two-year community college. In her essay she talks about a man named Rick Perlstein who believed that college really doesn't matter that much, but going to a four-year college is better than going to a two-year community college due to the college experience being better. Throughout the essay Addison mostly compares and contrasts why going to a two-year community college is better than going to a four-year college. She uses what Mr. Perlstein says about his years at a four-year college to write her essay and explain why a community college is more beneficial to students and their futures. Throughout the essay she lists all the benefits of what a two-year community college can do for some students that a four year university can not.

The general argument made by Liz Addison in her work, “Two Years Are Better than Four”, is that the college experience remains unchanged. More specifically, Addison argues that the community college experience is more detrimental to society, over that of university experience. She writes, “…Arguably, the community college experience is more critical to the nation than that of former beatnik types who, lest we forget, did not change the world. (pg. 257)” In this passage, Addison is suggesting that the experiences one receives in a community college differ from the experiences they would receive in a university, in that the community college could provide an individual with the knowledge and experience to change and improve the world, rather

Two Years Are Better than Four is an essay by Liz Addison, published in the New York Times Magazine’s College Essay Contest. It follows the fictional, yet symbolic, character, Rick Perlstein. Through the character, Addison expresses her thoughts on the American Higher Education system. Consequently, she highlights the importance of community colleges in the provision of higher education. Addison discounts the 4-year courses provided by mainstream universities. Throughout her essay, Liz Addison claims that Community Colleges are better institutions of higher learning as compared to Universities. This paper tries to outline them as it provides reasoning, evidence and assumptions presumed, in coming up with the aforementioned arguments.

In the essay, Two Years Are Better Than Four, the author, Liz Addison, gives her opinion on the importance of community college. The main point that she is trying to convey to her audience is that going to a community college is not harming the essential college experience. For some individuals, such as herself, the two-year college experience is exactly what they need to further their education. Community college is an affordable place that can “foster dreams (Addison)”. Throughout the reading, Addison makes compelling statements to prove the point which she is trying to make.

Similarly, in “Two Years Are Better than Four”, Liz Addison argues that Community College is a good option for those who are not prepared for college or are unable to pay for a traditional 4-year degree. “Community college welcome people who comes from different background” (Addison). Because how much affordable Community college is in comparison to a traditional 4-year college. Community College gives hope to those who parents are blue-collar workers trying to give a better future to their children or those like my stepmother, who cannot obtain a four-year degree from medical school because of how much it costs. However, she can look for

Preparing for College after graduating from high school is considered to be as one of the most thought by students. Even so, most students nowadays are uncertain whether attending college will be a good advantage for them. Some believe that it is a waste of time and money, but most people consider it as a reason to thrive in life. Unlike High school, College is certainly different because it determines your future and should be taken more earnestly by the students. College education is a worth of cost because it basically provides students with great benefits, which can be a good help in shaping their future goals.

Choosing a college means going to a new, unfamiliar world of immense possibilities. One of the hardest decisions a high school graduate face is the choice between attending a Community College or a University. Although Universities and Community College serve the same purpose, each has its differences and similarities in their learning such as the admission requirements, expenses, size, and student life. Community College are the most common type of two-year College that prepares you to continue your education, are often an affordable and convenient option. Universities you can earn Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees which is more expensive. At a University, you can

Two of the essays I chose for the Is College the Best Option theme is Liz Addisons’s Two years better than Four and Gerald Graff’s Hidden Intellectualism. In Liz Addisons’s essay, Two Years Better than Four she shares her own experience, having attended two community colleges that provided her a launching pad for her career. Addison expressed much elation for her experience in opening her mind to the varieties of experiences that followed her journey to earn a bachelor degree as a large animal veterinarian.

The article Two Years Are Better than Four was written by Liz Addison which she responded to Rick Perlstein’s opinion piece about “What’s the Matter With College?”. Based on her experience, Author Addison claimed that community colleges unconditionally allow students to begin which give them opportunities for understanding and everything possible. Because of letting any students in, community colleges would give discoveries of their independent thoughts and independent studies first. She was proud of getting her education by entering community colleges in America as mentioning, Thomas Jefferson’s writing, “Everybody should have an education proportional to my education.”. She also criticized about about Mr. Perlstein and his friends said that

Deciding whether to attend a community college or university can be a difficult decision for students especially high school seniors and fresh high school graduates. After graduating from high school, the next step in the academic journey is to attend a college or a university. Before I got into college, I wanted to attend a university. I never considered attending a community college because I considered it irrelevant and less rewarding than a university. Now I have a different view about community colleges and I can clearly point out the major difference between a community college and a university. A community college is a two year college which offers two or three year courses and award associate degrees and certificates. Most community colleges are linked with certain universities which makes it easier for students to transfer. My decision to attend a community was strongly influenced by Cost, easy transition to university, and the need to balance school, work, and social life.

In The Basement of the Ivory Tower is a very illustrative and witty analysis that presents the idea that not everyone is suited for college. The author, who goes by the alias Professor X, presents himself as a man of scholar with the difficult task of teaching English to students he believes should not even be in college. He is an adjunct professor that teaches at two community colleges as a last resort. Throughout this article, he argues that there are too many unreachable students. During his efforts in exploring various strategies to help these students, he claims that they are deficient in ability to complete any college course—especially English. Overall, with a lack of statistics and research, Professor X utilizes his professional character by sharing multiple anecdotes that feebly argue higher education is simply not for everyone.

For the graduating high school senior each year there can be tough choices made about when and where to start college. Some have to decide if continuing their education even makes financial sense. There are many obstacles that a graduating senior must consider when making these decisions. Probably, the most difficult decision is where the funding for the continuing education will be coming from. For some, it does not make financial sense to even continue on with their education. Others face even more uncertain decisions about when to apply to a college and which college to attend. Once the decision to attend has been made, there are varying degrees of completion among the students who decide to attend. Student success depends on their support structure which can consist of family and friends to other outside resources. One can see that this time period, in a high school senior’s life, can be a perplexing and anxiety producing time.

Every year, there are thousands of college students that are pushed to attend college, in the sole hope that they will be able to make a respectable living. More than half of these students will not end up completing their 4-year degree. Many students are starting to take a hard look at why they are going to pursue a college degree, to determine if a degree is really their best option. College education is changing for the better, with technical and vocational skills giving less academically inclined students an option. Another reason why students should consider other options is the cost; university boards have been some of the most corrupt and wasteful spenders in the last decade and this will only change with less demand. Finally, the strenuous process of admissions has been continuously overlooked and underestimated by thousands of future students. A traditional 4-year education, that caters to the industry of university, is no longer required to be successful in the job market, and traditional admissions can become an anachronism.

Many high school students succeed with a little leniency through their four years. The transfer from high school to college becomes overwhelming and a struggle for some. For students do not comprehend the importance of changing more than their location during the transition. A student must be psychologically, physically, and emotionally mature to pursue college and not venture into a point of no return. Dropping out of college makes the outlook of the conversion difficult to acquire. Individuals should take their time on deciding which college and/or university is the best match for them. There are various reasons that cause persons not to prosper. Issues that individuals may come upon might leave a lifelong scar. Matters such as these

The hardest decision a student has to make during their senior year of high school is which school to attend and whether to live on campus or commute. There are both advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. The entire college experience is a learning trip and it is oftentimes a young adults first step towards independence. Living on campus is an adjustment and is a huge eye-opener to the real world. The college dorm life is considered to be part of the "full college experience," but the costs of living in a residence hall can persuade students to remain home while they are in college in order to avoid housing fees.