The Evaluation of
“The Argument for Tuition-Free College”
By Keith Ellison
Being a university student, I have been experiencing its attendant
considerations and difficulties for four years. However, it is significant to
state that the Hungarian education system concerning higher studies is much
more student-friendly than for instance the expensive college semesters which
are ran in the USA. Keith Ellison
provides a strong argument against the American policy of academic tuition and reasons
that it should be made available for students for free in the country.
The writer of the article firstly designates the
problem and the need to solve it through organizing a system, which ensures
free colleges to all. Opening with such a clear and short way, she makes it
obvious how determined she is concerning this argument. Moreover, the shortness
and the imperative effect of the sentences also enhance and highlight it.
In the next paragraph, the equity of the writer’s
claim is supported with a historical example. The reader gets to know about the
Land Grant College Act from 1862, which established the basis of a system with
“publicly funded universities”. Referring back to this law, Keith Ellison
improves the necessity of changing the government’s perspective in its policy; If
President Abraham Lincoln was able to create and support “democracy’s
colleges”, the authorities of our days do not have to turn a blind eye to it.
As she represented an existed system with historical
references, the writer now sharpens the contrast between the honoured past and
the criticized present. Comparing the expensive tuitions to the demonstrated
publicly funded universities, she strengthens further her argument to bring
reforms to the educational system.
After these introductory paragraphs, the author
ensures a fortuitous solution for the disapproved issue and again she connects
it to the main problem: the increasing tuitions make it impossible for American
students to graduate without huge debts. Her argument and main goal is clearly
stated and designated.
Using statistical data, the author makes it more
concrete for the reader and even it has an appalling effect on me that the
numbers evidently prove the extent of money students owe in student loans.
Moreover, the consequences are also mentioned; these deepen the feeling in the
reader how serious the problem is.
As for the solution to the examined issue, it is elaborated
and explained in a clear-cut way. The author says that tuitions can be lowered
through federal investments to states that would help to cut the cost of public
universities. Furthermore, another option is suggested: reinvesting in
programmes that guarantee financial aid. Adding a real organization to her
reasoning makes further validity to this writing.
In order to strengthen her argument, the author forms
a criticism in the following sections. The reader has the intention that it is a
strong objection against governmental support of oil and gas industry; the
simple, uncomplicated sentences mirror the writer’s disapproval and belief. It
is claimed that the investment in these economic areas should be decreased to
support colleges instead. Using conditional structures, she simplifies her
statements but we do not get further explanations about this argument.
She provides another example to justify her assertion.
It is not so elaborated and explained so the reader can find it an abridged
attempt to prove the issue discussed in this article. The author conjoins it
with an optional claim of the opponents but it is also slightly expounded.
As a conclusion, she argues over the efficiency of
universal programmes and repeats her former claim: make colleges free for
Americans. Using imperatives, short sentences and modals like ‘can’ or ‘would’,
the writer intentionally has an effect on the reader. We can feel that we are
taken in this discourse. However, it would have been more persuasive if some of
her arguments had been discussed in detail.
Works Cited
The Argument for Tuition-Free College
By Keith Ellison 14, 2016
The American Prospect
No comments:
Post a Comment