Summary
An effective essay contains a properly defined central idea and should be well arranged. The various claims behind the effectiveness of the writing include effectively communicating the message to the target audience and clearly and convincingly conveying its point of view. The essay by Barnet et al. discusses the reasons for college existence. The text is effective because it is well structured, with a strong introduction and supporting body paragraphs. It passes its information to the audience properly, uses real examples and statistical data for support, and engages the reader’s attention from start to finish.
Message Communication to the Target Audience
High school learners, college personnel, and those already in college are the primary target audience of the essay. There are two primary reasoning students attach to joining college. Many learners enter college to get knowledge, skills, and certification for their aspired careers. On the other hand, the lesser population learns for their future careers and looks forward to the daily experiences that shape their lives in unique ways. For instance, in Barnet et al. (413), Antony claims that “College is where his favorite class took place,” showing college created many memorable activities in life. Many learners also view college as simply “traveling by night to a fluorescent office building or virtual classroom that only exists in cyberspace” Barnet et al. (413), implying they are just there for reasons they don’t fully comprehend. Therefore, the essay’s ability to provide helpful information to its audience makes it effective.
Author’s Point of View Supported by Statistical Data
A proper essay relays its point of view on a topic in a manner that readers understand, with quantitative data available to help make more sense. Barnet et al. (415) point out that the current and future generations will have a smaller population of learned people than before, as college favors the most affluent, disadvantaging the average and poor. This is attributed to the fact that college education is increasingly becoming unaffordable for many. For instance, a learner in a family with annual earnings exceeding $90,000 has a 50% chance of attaining a BA degree by 24 years, while those with less than $35,000 have a 1.4% odds (Barnet et al. 414). Thus, colleges are biased in this case because average and poor learners with the same or better grades than rich children don’t stand equal chances in the career world. Numbers are one sure way to convince readers of the information being passed. From the above illustrations, the author’s point of view is passed more adequately to the reader through data, making it more constructive.
Well-Written and Organized
Another reason the essay was effective was its general organization and structure, with a proper introduction and supporting arguments that reflect it. The author begins by describing the current condition of colleges and gives their view on it before analyzing the core importance of college. Barnet et al. (413) highlight “the increasing inadequacy of K-12 education and the collapse of consensus about what students should know.” This background leaves the reader eager to establish the response to the topic of the essay” Why college still matters,” as he implies that the current education system is insufficient (Barnet et al. 414). The body paragraphs have clear opening statements, supporting the claims in the introduction while still showing the essence of education.
The Topic is Well Illustrated with Real Life Examples
The article clearly states and expounds on the three primary importance of college, with the life experiences of the author to support them. First, college is still crucial because of its undeniable relation to joining the job market to earn a living (Barnet et al. 413). Despite this being a valid reason, it does not accrue to everyone due to differences in social classes and the expensive nature of college education. The college also has political importance because governments flourish and endure supported by learned citizens. Barnet et al. (415) say, “we are all bombarded with pleadings and persuasions designed to capture our loyalty, money, and our vote.” Citizens must be able to “tell the difference between demagoguery and responsible arguments” (Barnet et al. 415). Thus, the political aspect of education is well understood as the reader can relate to its need in their lives.
The last reason for college’s importance is that people need to go through college because it shows them ways to enjoy life. In his teaching career, the author mentioned being told by alumni during his talk about Jefferson that he had given very nice information but had missed the most essential things (Barnet et al. 415). The alumni pointed out that “Columbia taught me how to enjoy life” (Barnet et al. 415). Therefore, the college has unique experiences that could otherwise be foreclosed, adding to the life one wants in their remaining years.
Work Cited
Barnet, Sylvan, et al. “A College Education: What Is Its Purpose?” Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2020, pp. 413–416.