Pharinet is a college professor, who chose to remain anonymous, that strongly believed college is not for everyone. In “Is College for Everyone? ”, Pharinet tries to refute those who say that you need college to be successful. She proves her point through giving specific reasons and examples that are appealing to all audiences.
In Pharinet’s “Is College for Everyone? ” she discusses that while many benefit from college, others may not belong there. “It is estimated that in the U. S. , 50% of students who begin college never graduate” because they are not ready for the academic and financial challenges of college or do not have the desire to learn (635). Between the cost for tuition, books, school supplies, housing expenses, meals, and gasoline, many students are caught in really difficult financial situations. Pharinet also points out that some students are just not ready for the academic responsibilities or do not have the desire to learn. There are other options outside of college.
A student could attend trade school or take a year or two off from school to discover who they are and what they want to do with their life. Pharinet uses specific arguments and examples to prove her argument to her audience. Where many try to oppose the fact that not all students should go to college, she is successful in giving refutations in return. By explaining the academic and financial challenges of higher education, it makes it easier for her audience to some students simply cannot handle the struggles and responsibility that the new-found freedom of college entails.
Another opposition Pharinet faces is that higher education is needed to be successful in life. She refutes this by reminding her audience that there are many people who have found jobs that do not require a college degree that they enjoy. There are jobs that do not require a higher education, such as “fork lift drivers, factory workers, sales clerks, cashiers…tractor-trailer drivers, mail carriers, and construction workers” and some of that work can only be learned from actually doing the job or from trade school (636).
By Pharinet listing specific examples and proof of jobs that do not need degrees, it allows her audience to have little room to disagree with her. Although Pharinet presents good evidence and refutations, her argument could be presented in a stronger fashion. Her tone and word choice are not as authoritative and effective as they could be and her argument is a little repetitive. It also seems like she doesn’t present much opposition. For example, she presents a quote from one of her students that states, “C’s get degrees” (636).
While Pharinet believes that is true, she points out that that will not be as helpful to them in the real-life workforce. The habit of doing just enough to get by without any real effort will stay with them after college into real life and that habit can only harm them. Throughout Pharinet’s “Is College for Everyone? ”, she states an overall decent argument. Her belief that college is not for everyone is supported by solid examples and is clear for her audience to understand. While the argument was not as strong and effective as it could have been, she was still able to get her point across so that her audience could form their own opinion.
