User:Stevenarntson/group spaces/analytical writing/group 5


 * Davedoumis 18:49, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

"Cadieblaser 08:57, 11 February 2009 (UTC)"

Good
Throughout the process of this assignment, we had many strengths. Some good aspects that worked on our paper was the fact that we were all interested in the topic that we chose. Due to the fact that we are all students in college, it was easy to relate and also add our own experiences. Our brainstorming process was extrememly successful and we always came up with many different topics.

Bad
Due to the fact that we all had some experience to add to the table, it was very difficult to keep our topic concise. Everytime we met, our group had the tendency to expand our topic. This made it extremely difficult to find a direction. In the beginning, we tried to divide up our topic into sections and assign them to each member of the group. When it came time to combine our sections, it was difficult to have sucessful transitions and a steady flow. Also, every member of our group is extremely busy making it difficult to meet outside class, and also keeping updated on the wiki. most of the time, we would write our portions of the paper and then simply not post them.

What we would do differently next time
If we had the opportunity to change parts of our writing process, we would be able to keep updated. If our group had remained consistent in our postings, we would have recieved more feed back from the teacher, as well as other students in the class. Also, our writing process would have been more successful if we had condensed our topic early on and left room to expand rather than trying to work the other way around. A rough outline wouldve been a helpful aid in writing a more successful paper. Overall our intentions we good, but our execution could have used some work.

History
Throughout the years the outcome of college education has been dramatically shifted. In the 1900’ s the college experience was reserved for students of high society and wealth, and was considered a luxury and not a necessity. The role of college has been dramatically shifted through out the century. “College education today is comparable to having a high school diploma in the early 1900’s. The college degree is expected as a stepping stone into many of today’s jobs, but it in no way guarantees a person an exceptional or significantly advanced career.” Throughout the years the job field has also dramatically shifted, in the 1900’s most jobs did not require higher education, simply because the job opportunities required only physical labor and not actual thinking skills. As the job market shifted there was a change between needing physical labor to technologically educated workers. (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1989).

Davedoumis 18:40, 11 March 2009 (UTC)

“What he (Tourgeé) was proposing in 1896, I think, was that each United States citizen would attempt to approximate the ideals of the nation, be on at least conversant terms with all its diversity, carry the mainstream of the culture inside himself. As an American, by trying to wear these clothes he would be a synthesis of high and low, black and white, city and country, provincial and universal. If he could live with these contradictions, he would be simply a representative American (McPherson)." Education used to be predetermined by social class, but through the development and growth of our society, every American now has the opportunity to learn, whether it be a through a univerity, trade school, or even life experiences.


 * James Alan McPherson

http://college.cengage.com/english/lauter/heath/4e/students/author_pages/contemporary/mcpherson_ja.html

Introduction
With the shift in education requirements, there has also been a shift in education enthusiasm. Because education is so expensive, those that are lucky enough to attend work very hard to take as much as possible out of their education. With time, a more socially diverse group of students started to seek out a more advanced education. Many people worked multiple jobs in order to pay for schooling, full effort, and enthusiasm was vital to get all that you could out of your education.

More so now than in the past, a college education has been necessary when finding a successful career. Because more and more high school students are continuing on to higher education, the job field is more competitive forcing some students to also attend college. Some may argue that a diploma proves that you are a trained expert in your area of study, but some fields shouldn’t require a degree to show that someone is educated. Many people are deciding to attend a four year college or university over a specified trade school because of the diploma. Some students are being forced into ridiculous amounts of loans in order to obtain a certificate proving their level of education.

Between High school & College
With such high pressure for success in the public school system, one would wonder why, after the billions of dollars that are spent each year, the graduation rate is still not as high as it is in other countries that invest far less money on public education says the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Clearly the amount of money spent on public education isn’t benefiting students for the future success in college or wherever they choose to go after high school. So what is the issue then, is the public education system lacking in preparing students success or is it the fault of the students in their aspirations to succeed?

The whole point of school, from elementary through high school, is to prepare students for real life and living on their own, whether or not they decided to attend college. But for most, college is the time when you learn how to be capable, task oriented and efficient. The goal of high school has been dramatically shifted, from helping students ease in to their futures, to forcing students to memorize equations and learn better test-taking skills in hopes for higher standardized testing scores. The use of standardized testing in the United States is a 20th century invention and seems as though is that what is not tested is not taught. Under the federal No Child Left Behind law in the United States, low test scores mean schools and school districts can be labeled as in need of improvement and punished. If standardize tests are the only method of accountability for the schools then parents and educators are less likely to know how well children are learning in untested areas. Vincent Tinto, the chair of the Higher Education Program at Syracuse University in New York says "A large number of students are ill-equipped for the challenges of college," and goes on to say “…they [students] forget to focus on what lies ahead: challenging academics, living away from home, maintaining their finances, learning time management skills, and taking responsibility for their own lives.” After high school graduation, students are expected to have gathered and learned all the information they need to move on to college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, not only is taking the right number of courses important but as well as the right kind of courses, and the rigor of these courses, is critical to student readiness for college-level work. Every student should be prepared and have a future in mind before they leave for high school.

According to the College Readiness Report sent out by the ACT says that the “existing standards in many states are not rigorous enough to ensure that students will be ready for either credit-bearing college-level work or workforce training programs. Based on comparisons completed so far of standards in 39 states to the ACT College Readiness Standards, which describe what students need to know and be able to do to be ready for college, we have identified some striking disparities between state standards and college readiness standards.”

College seems to be aspired by many high school students. In fact, 80% of 10th-graders say they want to attend college. This number has risen compared to the percentage in the last decade. One would expect to see the college turn out, and success rate at a high as well, but that is on the contrary. Only a staggering 71% of teenagers even graduate from high school (NCES). With low high school graduation rates, this means that even fewer students are attending college and even fewer actually succeed and graduate from college.

Getting acclimated to college life is a big issue with most high school students. So why doesn’t the public education system help with the transition? High school teachers put high demands on students to get work done. The high demand from the teachers make students less motivated to achieve any work, making the students feel as though they can slack off and still get by. Study habits by the students are put into place at a young age and by the time student’s graduate high school their study habits are well developed. Teachers seem to be unaware that if they don’t establish what is acceptable and what is not acceptable, then students will continue to maintain their study habits, if they are good habits or not.

Once in college, students are no longer pushed but taught, the drastic change causes the students to get overwhelmed. To some, the constant surveillance from faculty and parents, rigid schedules and strict guidance in high school inhibit their development and learning. When put into a college atmosphere the students are suddenly no longer surrounded by the forces of high school, and are left on their own, with no rigid schedule, and less guidance. High school students seem to be unaware that college is a choice, instead of being a demand like high school. If there is no aspiration to succeed in college by the student there will be no success achieved.

Some critics say the issue behind the dropout rate is from the high school teachers not knowing what the college professors want. Some say that it is the student’s fault, and to actually succeed in college there needs to be more effort put forth. At any rate, the lack of attendance and growing drop out rate in college is a serious issue. The problem actually lies before the secondary school system, with the lack of education given to the students on how to function efficiently before starting college. With more emphasis put on teaching students the reality of living on their own, and easing students in to their futures, there could possibly be a growth in the attendance of colleges, as well as the success rate of graduating. Other options are out there too, if public educators show that there are other possibilities beyond high school, showing students that there are other options other than college, it is clear that some students are simply not cut out for the stresses of college, but this doesn’t mean that they will be stuck at dead end jobs forever, trade schools and education programs offered through different companies can offer students a great future without the tuition and expenses of college. At any rate the statistics show that the amount of money spent on public education isn’t benefiting students for success in their futures may it be in college or wherever they choose to go after high school. If you choose to be college bound, the rigor process of filling out college applications start early.

Admissions
As some of you may remember from the application process, those with ethnically diverse backgrounds had a sort of leg up when it came to the acceptance. Colleges and universities feel as though other students would prefer to attend to a school with a diverse student body, this is turn pushes them to offer benefits to some with lower qualifications in order to try to get them to attend their school over another student. During the stress of college admissions, acceptance and rejection, it seems so unfair that one student with a lower GPA or test scores could receive a scholarship, meanwhile at the same school, someone with higher qualifications may not be accepted at all. Although this is one viewpoint on higher education, some may argue that students learn more than simply taught education in college. According to studies preformed at the University of Michigan, students gain more social education and development during these few years in college1. Research shows that students with a more ethically diverse college experience are more likely to become a more complete and well-rounded adult. Social development along with taught education completes a complete college experience. With this diversity background, they are more prepared to deal with diversity in the workplace, social functions, and other extracurricular activities.

Cost
Although tuition may seem like a huge expense to those that are faced with the battle between financial aid and loans, some may argue that it preparation for the future. A degree can give you the qualifications so that an employer will hire you. Collegeboard.com states that students that receive a bachelor’s degree can earn up to 60 percent more than those without a degree. Over the span of a lifetime this can accumulate up to $800,000 more than those that never attended college. This monetary encouragement leads most high school graduates into believing that they must attend a four-year college to be successful.

Every year there is a slight increase in the cost of college tuition. A typical increase is a few hundred dollars a quarter, but this slight increase can add up significantly. Many students are encouraged to attend a public school over private because of the price differences. Private schools can be three or four times the price of public schools. About 56 percent of students enrolled at four-year colleges or universities attend institutions that charge tuition and fees of less than $9,000 per year.1

Since the pressure from teachers and parents to go from high school to college is so great, the cost for tuition is something to consider when looking at different forms of second education. Its important for students to organize themselves after high school and know what they should be expecting for the future. Talking with advisor's before high school graduation as well as college advisor's is an important step in preparing students for their future education and the cost. College Board listed on their website, the average cost for a four year private college is $25,143. This price has raised approximately 5.9% from last year. They also stated that for a four year public school it costs about $6,585, up 6.4% from last year. College costs increase about twice the inflation rate, currant increases have averaged about 5% to 8%.

So why are prices rising so much and are the students getting the education they are paying for? Lets look at what are some expenses that should be expected. Tuition being the main one, room and board, cost for food, books and school supply, transportation, and leisure money. Students who go from high school to college and live on their own, are being thrown into the real world. Most students are not prepared for being independent and knowing how to survive on their own. Controlling their budget is probably a main reason for dropping out of college.

Funding Through Scholarships/Financial Planning
There various helpful websites on line which show students and their parents an approximation of how much college tuition will be. Along with ways of saving money and other options of financial aid. Some helpful websites I have came across are FinAid, College Board, and Guaranteed Education Tuition (GET). These specific websites give you helpful options and alternatives for paying for tuition as well as estimating how much it will cost. Links to different types of Aid are listed, through the government, military, loans, or scholarships. They also supply helpful ways of saving money, selecting a college, and ways to prepare students. Websites on line are becoming more helpful and very resourceful for students and their parents.

One advantage for students to really consider is financial aid and scholarships available. College Board states that there are more than $143 billion in financial aid available. How much of this is really being used and are students aware of this? Most students are not aware of the amount of money they could be receiving in scholarships or even that they qualify for them. It was recently brought to my attention to look into a few scholarships I may qualify for and I haven't thought about scholarships since before my high school graduation. The requirements to qualify for a scholarship vary but with the amount of money out there, scholarships may apply to just about anyone. Some forms of scholarships base their requirements on educational backgrounds or achievements, some on race or sex, and some on grades, SAT scores or GPAs. Parents Income

Different College Options
There are many difference options when it comes to perusing college, between private, to public, university to community, four-year to two-year college. Two-year colleges are suppose to provide a jumping in point, offering courses for students who have not chosen what field there are truly interested in. According to collegebored.com “Students have different reasons for attending a community college: They often cite low tuition, convenient locations, class schedules, open admissions policies, and comprehensive course offerings.” There is allot advantages to community colleges, they seem to prepare students for the job market and are usually local, giving students a college education without the stresses of living on their own

With four-year degrees, colleges can be specialized (for example, in nursing) or they can offer a broad curriculum, like the liberal arts which focus on the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Universities can be quite large, this means they can offer two-year and four-year degrees as well as graduate degrees in advanced studies beyond four years. Universities offer a huge course selection and may have extensive resources. Class size varies, depending on the size of the university, the subject area, and the course level.

http://www.collegeanswer.com/selecting/content/sel_id_typ.jsp Davedoumis 04:49, 25 March 2009 (UTC)

Solution: Alternate Forms of Education
A college education has become a requirement in recent decades for higher paying jobs as the labor market has became more competitive, and as more college graduates enter the labor force. What if we could fulfill our dreams without the cost of attending a post-secondary education? In the United States receiving a college education has become the accepted social norm. This is causing social problems that have not impacted previous generations. With thousands of families in debt and a country facing an economic depression, obtaining a job shouldn’t cost $40,000(+). Society must learn to accept alternate forms of education and training as equivalent to the college diploma.

Certain professional jobs, such as becoming a doctor or surgeon, should and do require specific education and training. However, trade jobs such as being an electrician, plumber, mechanic, audio engineer, graphic designer, or photographer that previously required a high school degree with on-the-job training, now require a college diploma. Vocational and trade schools are educational institutions that focus learning towards one specific career goal. Essentially, this is what the Art Institute offers. There are both private and state vocational schools and a student can receive financial aid for either. Students come out of a vocational school with an education, and a diploma to showcase what has been learned. Although a college education is the accepted way of learning a new vocation, there are other methods that provide similar results.

The Work to Learn Center is a privately operated trade school that provides a four semester sequence of academic courses and related work experiences that emphasize a core academic curriculum for each semester. Students at the Work to Learn Center work part time and go to class part time. Students work on projects, such as building a house, with the skills they have acquired. This type of hands-on training prepares its students for what working in the real world is like. Sitting in class and talking about how an industry operates, is nothing like working in the industry to learn first hand how it operates. However, in an interview situation, this form of alternative education does not hold the same standing as a traditional college degree.

Another form of education that deserves to be equivalent to a diploma is an internship or apprenticeship. An apprenticeship involves working alongside an employer that already has relevant skills in their profession. This allows new employees the ability to develop a clear vision of the future. Another important aspect of an internship is it allows you to look at how the professional work environment operates before spending thousands of dollars on a degree. Providing this experience also encourages young adults the ability to determine whether the profession is right for them. Many adults find a hands-on experience applies to the real world better than a classroom environment. During an internship you are applying what has been learned, while relating the experience to real life.

Imagine if education provided more than one opportunity for young adults to transition into a professional career. The possibilities presented by other forms of education allow students to build relevant job skills without suffering the consequences of building debt at a young age. The logical solution to this problem is accepting alternate forms of education as an equivalent to a diploma. --BrettDurnell 16:45, 11 March 2009 (UTC)

Work Cited
The Council of Independent Colleges. 5 Jan. 2008. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"The dropout dilemma: One in four college freshmen drop out. What is going on here? What does it take to stay in? | Careers and Colleges | Find Articles at BNET." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. 09 Feb. 2009 .

Getting Ready for College | GRFC. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"High school students need college prep reality check:." 9 May 2005. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"Primary, secondary education fails to prepare students for college, life - Perspective." The Eastern Progress. 22 Jan. 2009. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"Student graduation and beyond: How are our high school graduates performing in college and the workplace?" The Center for Public Education. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"U.S. High School Courses Lack Rigor Needed to Prepare Students for College-Level Coursework." ACT: Resources for Education and Workplace Success. 15 May 2007. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"U.S. High School Courses Lack Rigor Needed to Prepare Students for College-Level Coursework." ACT: Resources for Education and Workplace Success. 09 Feb. 2009 .

"What percentage of High School students want to go to college?" Need Help – Ask a Question and Find Answers. 09 Feb. 2009 .

Davedoumis 04:50, 25 March 2009 (UTC)