In Dave Leonhardts writing, “The College Dropout Boom,” he is writing of how difficult people’s lives have been affected by a college education. Leonhardt includes what seems to be several different interviews. In these interviews, Leonhardt lets us see just how having a college education could benefit our life’s. Also we see how the financial backgrounds can have an effect on which colleges they attend.
The tone of the article is honest and inspirational. In the story of Andy Blevins, we learn how Andy didn’t complete college; he dropped out and he didn’t want to leave his summer job at a super market (265). Andy eventually worked his way up without a degree, making $35,000 a year with health benefits and a 401(K) plan (267). Andy’s story shows us that in some situations, not having a college education didn’t pay as good as having a college degree.
I would also say that the style that Leonhardt wrote this article in would be informal, yet informative. By using interviews and peoples real life stories he article is kind of written like a two sided conversation between Andy and UVA pres. However, the style is informative simply because Leonhardt’s use of statistics, such as “In the 1900’s, by contrast, poorer students got 50 percent more aid on average than the wealthier nes, according to the college board” (270)
In Leonhardt’s article I would say that the implied audience would be current high school students, current college students, college drop outs, high school drop outs, and people who completed high school but never attempted college. The message to these specific audience is that no matter where you are in life it could always help you out in your life making a better future thing for yourself. If you’re in high school you can attend college, or if you dropped out or never tried go and start gain with getting an education. That a college education will never hurt, only help with you building a future.
The economic status of people does have a major impact on the access to higher education especially in American. Students here today, or even parents often think that college is too costly, causing students to feel as if they aren’t smart enough, don’t have enough money, and shouldn’t even attempt college feeding more and more to the dropout rates. This thought often causes people to settle more for lower class jobs, poorer incomes, making the cycle start all over again. By people not attending college, starting a family and then making their own children feel as if they can’t gain a higher education either.
In conclusion, Dave Leonhardt’s “The College Dropout Boom,” is a great eye opener, and a motivational writing for many different a person’s life can be with a college education, compared to one with-out. The tone of the writing wasn’t meant to put anyone down of feel bad for possibly dropping out. Instead, it shows it’s never too late. And that if a person wants to better their life, nothing, not even money or economic status can hold them back. The only one who can and is holding them back is themselves.
