Why People Choose The College That They Attend

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

In the article “Two Years Are Better Than Four” author Liz Addison writes about how community college is a forgotten option for many students in America, and that it is not well advertised like the universities are. She writes about how community college is a great option for students who need a less expensive option, but still want a chance to further their education. Addison also writes about how they allow everyone to attend so you can “just begin”. Community college is a great option for many students because it allows for an affordable option for students to continue their education.

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.

In the essay two years are better than four, "the author, Liz Addison, shows her views on community colleges, and expresses that community colleges do not receive the attention they deserve.

Liz Addison, the author of “Two Years Are Better than Four,” started with a question on the importance of college. She wrote this essay in response to Perlstein’s piece, “What’s the Matter With College.” Addison argued that college is important while Perlstein thought differently. Starting with how the beginning of the college process starts, Addison states that for any one person, that the idea of a community college is for one to begin their journey (Addison, 256). This I would agree with because attending a four-year college during the start of the college journey, I have found myself lost with no idea on how to begin. Therefore, transferring to a community college, finally realizing that a community college is where I should have begun.

One of the best benefits about a two year school is the small class sizes and opportunity to know the professors well. Whereas, a majority of the four year schools have large class sizes in enormous lecture halls with professors the students rarely get to know. Small class sizes allow individuals to receive the help they need in order to master the subject and have their questions answered directly by their professors. Being able to know professors on a first name basis allows for students to build relationships with professionals who can help the further down the road in their major and career. These relationships can provide the students with opportunities from recommendations, internships, and advice from the trusted professors they are privileged in knowing. Students at most four year

Within the article, “Are Too Many People Going To College?”, by Charles Murray, he goes over the reasons why we don’t necessarily need to go to college to be successful. By this, he is talking about how most liberal arts should be taught properly within grades K-8. What I mostly agree on with him is the topic of how four years of college is ridiculous. From personal experience and the practicality of learning important information, I strongly believe that students should have to spend four years at college. Why learn something irrelevant and have the possibility to fail if you learn the material for your future career sooner and successfully.

Today, many people seek higher education for a better advantage in finding a job and getting a better life. Even though many people think going to a four year college directly from high school is a good idea; they are wrong. Starting out at a two year community college is more affordable. Also, it helps people explore careers and prepare people to do better in four years college later down the road.

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.

A majority of people these days are planning or are going to college. These people have many reasons for going to college. The option of going to college is a major decision and there are many factors that are considered in making this decision. One of the many reasons of making the decision to go to college is to receive a bigger salary. Another reason is for the opportunities that become available from going to college. People also decide go to college to be better prepared and successful in the future.

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

I have so many reason why I wanted to attend DCCC and each decision that I make at DCCC is that I’m gonna face it till the very end of my courses. I always wonder how can I get a step further in life and how can I get my stuff done and start early and there was an option that was given to me in my 8th grade year and it was a sign up for an orientation for Yadkin Valley Regional Career Academy a school where you can learn how to start you career and be professional looking/acting when applying for a job that suit you better. I came to Yadkin Valley for orientation where you can check the school out, but I had a little problem I didn’t have my glasses so couldn’t really see how the school look because my eyes were blurry, but I notice that I really didn’t need to see just listen to the teachers and how they talk and communicate and how they tell us what we be learning and discover while we are here at Yadkin Valley and what they have in store for us and then I heard a

After people graduate high school the next step is college, but which type of college is the better choice. Either a community college or a four-year college. That’s a personal question depending on several factors such as financial status, major of interest, job placement, and demographics. After that’s all figured out, then comes the important step of applying to the college. Having further knowledge on the differences between a community college, and a four-year college may help a student understand what’s the next step.