Anna Chekhlata
Critical Reading Assignment
“College isn’t for everyone” by Oren Cass
Identify Owen Cass’s main argument (thesis). Explain your rationale.
The educational system, according to Oren Cass, has the wrong priorities. Additionally, he argues that the present educational system places too much of an emphasis on standardized testing, material memorizing, and preparation for college as opposed to teaching students real-world skills and information that are useful to both their future professional and personal life.
College is really not for everyone. Some may be better off not going, but they don’t have a fair support and financial distribution to contribute to their growth and success, whereas college-bond individuals receive all kind of governmental beneficial perks. But they key factor is that everyone should have a choice whether to attend college or not.
Who is Cass writing to, and what is their purpose or motivation (goal) for writing about this issue? Using evidence from the article, identify what you think Cass is trying to accomplish for their audience.
It’s likely that the essay is written with a broad audience in mind, one that includes educators, decision-makers, and the general public who are interested in the situation of education today. The essay touches subjects such as parents worried about their children’s education and future, students attempting to make sense of the educational system, and companies searching for qualified workers in a changing labor market. It’s also likely that Cass wrote this piece with people in mind who are seeking alternatives to what seem to be biased selections because they are unclear and ignorant about their options for a brighter future.
Using evidence from the article, explain how Cass structures their argument and why this structure is appropriate for their goal.
According to Owen Cass, a college degree is not the only path to success and that society should not place so much value on it. Cass presents his case in a straightforward and persuasive way to convince readers that there are alternative ways to be successful.
Cass begins by presenting data that reveals that many students are still failing to graduate from college, leaving them with debt and little job prospects despite recent improvements in college enrollment rates. He argues that this demonstrates how not everyone gains from the current emphasis placed on a college education.
Overall, Cass’s organization highlights the disadvantages of attending a college while also presenting certain alternatives. He backs up his claims with statistics, making it clear that he is not against college per se, but rather the idea of education as the primary route to success. His goal, from what I can tell, is to promote a more sophisticated approach to academic and professional planning, fits perfectly with this framework.
Identify ONE of Cass’s smaller claims in support of the thesis. What evidence does Cass present to support his claim? Explain the effectiveness of this evidence.
One of the smaller claims Cass has states is that college ultimately is not the only path and solution for succeeding in life. To support this claim he explains that a large number of graduates could still be unemployed right off the college, and, furthermore, they will have start paying off their student loans. Also, Cass cites a study that shows that large percentage of college graduates end up finding jobs that have little to nothing to do with their degree. This claim challenges a popular belief that attending a college can provide a better job opportunities.
Using evidence from the article, identify an incidence of Cass’s bias. Explain how this may influence the audience’s understanding of the argument and\or possibly shape their reaction to the content.
A possible example of bias is the Cass talking about examples of successful individuals who did not attend college to illustrate that college is not the only path to success. Although the author’s claim that education is not required for success, it does not quite offer persuasive evidence in favor of the thesis. He also mentions the high demand for skilled workers and vocational jobs, which require less formal education but can still lead to quite successful careers. I can see how some readers might see it as a subtle encouragement to not go to college.
Focusing on the language of the article, identify one example to analyze how Cass connects to their audience by appealing to pathos.
One example from the article is how Cass connects to his audience by appealing to pathos is when he argues that college often leads to crippling student debt. Cass writes, “The burden of financing a college education remains manageable for those who actually graduate and use their degrees. They will still be the economy’s winners, even while paying off loans. That some young Americans assume unaffordable debts is not an argument for yet more spending on college, but rather a reminder that its value proposition can prove to be a poor one.”/ “For student borrowers unlikely to graduate, the current subsidies succeed mainly in luring them toward a substantial investment of time and money that is both high-risk and low-return.”
I have to agree with that because I fear of the debt as well. Although, succeeding with or without a college degree can be various from person to person.
Part B: Responsive Engagement
As a student, what do you think of Cass’s ultimate conclusions or suggestions? For instance, do you think college is a choice, a privilege, and obligation, or something else entirely? What motivated you to go to college?
Cass suggests that vocational schools offer a practical and cost-effective alternative to college, but this concept is not foreign to me. In Ukraine, many young people go for vocational education, even though college is still the preferred route for some individuals. This is mainly due to the lower costs associated with vocational schools, which make it accessible to more people, comparing to college costs. Ultimately, the decision to pursue college or vocational education is a personal one, driven by individual choice, abilities, and motivation.
There are countless reasons why people choose to attend college or choose not to. For some, it is a luxury, while for others, it is a necessity. In my own case, I was driven by frustration and the lack of clarity surrounding my future career. I have been searching for a stable and fulfilling job for a long time but was it was unsuccessful. While my current job is somewhat satisfactory, it does not align with my long-term goals. I decided to explore my options, with the hope that I would not accumulate lifelong debt in the process. I hope my college jersey will bring be one step closer to my final destination.
Part C: Synthesis
Refer to Natalie Proulx’s introduction to Cass’s article, and the Letters to the Editor:
Choose one alternate view to Oren Cass’s article from the Letters to the Editor, “Should
a College Diploma be a Goal for all?” Explain why this respondent’s perspective is
essential to understanding Cass’s main article. Who is affected by these arguments,
ultimately?
The letter I chose was written by Martin Ross.
From a perspective of an educator, who had countless interactions with student for over 42 years, the author agrees with Cass. He claims that he has seen many students, who were absolutely not ready to be in college and it was more like a torture for them. This means that not everyone belongs into college and they shouldn’t be pushed to be there. Instead, there should be other options and types of education that could fit to a broader spectrum of potential students. Also, Ross suggests that even when someone left college earlier, they should still be in a way appreciated for hard work, because it may feel like a big disadvantage and makes them feel like a failure.
These ideas are very important because they show us that there are many different ways in life, and success doesn’t necessarily mean going into a college. But if there would be more accessible and inclusive educational system it would help more people to access their goal with their individual set of skills and strengths.
Explain why readers might give any of these perspectives serious consideration, or if not,
explain your rationale by analyzing the effectiveness of the author’s diction/tone, examples, appeals to audience, etc.
I have a strong feeling that if I go to the readers and tell them exactly the same thing that Cass wrote, or what Ross had to reply to him, no one will take my opinion to a consideration simply because I have no expertise in this field. On the other hand, if someone like Martin Ross with over 42 years of educational experience will present these ideas to support the original argument by Oren Cass, I have little to no doubt that people will listen and consider these ideas. Someone with such an experience is naturally more appealing to the audience. After all, it’s not just a few students, who struggle, it’s a very big issue that happens not only in the U.S. Although, in this case Ross did not exactly try to persuade anyone, it really feels like it was just a few points he added to Cass’s argument.
As a matter of fact, even if a regular person – a student like me – will present strong ideas driven with true passion there might just be the individuals, to whom these words will be delivered, and the power of these words will move the mountains. Just look at Greta Thumberg. 🙂