Taylor Harris College Comp and Research Argumentative Essay December 5, 2016 College is Not for Every Student Applying for college and scholarships can be a scary time for high school students, but what are those who aren’t planning to attend college doing? They are feeling the overbearing pressure from parents, peers, and teachers, feeling stressed over whether their grades will be up to par if they do decide to someday attend a school, and feeling overwhelmed by the prices of various schools they may be interested in. Instead of having college sitting in front of them from the beginning of their education, students should be taught that not going to college has been as okay as going to college. College is not the best option for every high school student due to pressure, academics, and price. To begin, there is an overbearing amount of pressure on students to attend college from their kindergarten year up until they graduate. Research from Tampa Bay Times states, “Since the days of kindergarten… parents and others have drilled it into our heads that students need to make good grades to get into a good college, to get a good job… College seems like the ultimate goal, and we do everything in our power to get there” (Beaulieu par. 1). Academics seem to have been pushed to the back of the minds of administrators and faculty in many schools. In many cases, sports receive higher funds for uniforms rather than spending those funds on functions such as academic teams. On the other hand, some students do not and have never felt this pressure; it has always been their plan to attend a college. College is a great time for those who actually want to attend, but for those who do not wish to receive further education, they remain nervous throughout their college career that they will not be able to meet the school’s academic expectations. However, Beaulieu also recognizes that deciding to attend or not attend a college is a decision that a student shouldn’t make on their own, saying, “It's your decision, not your parents' and definitely not your teachers', but it's still a good idea to listen to them. You can pick your career and your school, but it is helpful to weigh the opinions of others when making your decision; they may think of things you have not” (Beaulieu par 9). Deciding what to do after a student’s high school career is a major choice that should be handled carefully. Secondly, many students’ academics are not up to par to attend college. Oftentimes, other aspects of a high school experience are placed above academics, such as sports. In an article by Teacher Magazine, Mary Tedrow states, “When education funds are no longer diverted to transportation, uniforms, and maintaining interest in sports, both the energy and resources could be used to improve instruction. Those who wanted to teach and coach could do so, taking on coaching as the second job it truly is” (Tedrow par. 14). Sports have had a reputation larger than academics for quite some time, and are often given better care and more concern than academics. Tedrow recognizes the counter to this argument by saying, “As a result, kids might actually want to come to school, not to play ball, but because the increased attention to instruction will help every student succeed and find a skill to translate into a lifetime of learning and earning. And for many, I'm sure, a lifetime of enjoying and participating in sporting events” (Tedrow par 15). Education should be held at a higher standard than sports in schools, and should be treated with just as much, if not more, attention. College is out of most students’ price ranges and therefore they cannot or do not want to attend. Richard Eskow from Campaign for America’s Future recognizes, “Education is in danger of becoming an inherited privilege... ‘The odds that a young person in the U.S. will be in higher education if his or her parents do not have an upper secondary education are just 29%...’” (qtd. in Eskow par. 11). College tends to be too much for students and therefore they cannot or choose not to attend. However, editors Miranda Herbert Ferrara and Michele P. LaMeau trust that loans are favorable for students, stating, “The most common type of U.S. federal loan is the Stafford loan, which is available to both undergraduate and graduate students who attend college at least half time” (Ferrara and LaMeau par. 6). Therefore, loans can be beneficial to a student wanting to attend college. The Future of Children also recognizes, “... If the difference between the benefits and the costs is larger than the present value of a prospective student's lifetime earnings without attending college, the individual would attend… the present value of the benefits exceeds the costs...” (Oreopoulos par. 6). Benefits that a student would receive from attending college will, in essence, outweigh any cost they may have in attending. Not only do some students simply wish to not attend a school, but college brings pressure, academic fearfulness, and unwanted fees. With the amount of stress that high school students feel, it is understandable that not each and every student would want to continue with their education and should be reminded that that decision is a valid one. College is a big step for students everywhere, even the ones not planning to attend an institution of higher education. Secondary education is a great option for some, but not all students. Works Cited
Beaulieu, Alexa. “HIGH PRESSURE ZONE; The Quest for College Requires More than a Good GPA. Colleges Want More. And Sooner Is Better.” Tampa Bay Times [St. Petersburg, FL], 2013, p. 12. Student Resources in Context. Eskow, Richard. “Tuition-Free Higher Education Must Be Offered.” Campaign for America's Future, Edited by Roman Espejo, 2014, Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Ferrara, Miranda Herbert, and Michele P. LaMeau, editors. “Student Loans.” Personal Finance, Gale, Farmington Hills, MI, 2015, pp. 93–98, Student Resources in Context. Oreopoulos, Philip, and Uros Petronijevic. “Making College Worth It: a Review of the Returns to Higher Education.” The Future of Children, 2013, p. 41. Student Resources in Context. Tedrow, Mary. “Sports Should Not Be the Main Focus in High School.” Teacher Magazine, Edited by Stefan Kiesbye, 2007, Opposing Viewpoints in Context.
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