Are Community Colleges in fact "colleges of last resort"
Paper 3: RESEARCHED ARGUMENT
Goal
Paper 3 centers around the reading “In the Basement of the Ivory Tower” (http://www(dot)theatlantic(dot)com/magazine/archive/2008/06/in-the-basement-of-the-ivory-tower/306810/?single_page=true). In this essay, you will practice close reading skills, relate an argument to a personal viewpoint, and work to produce a strong thesis and supporting argument through (or against) textual evidence within the article and outside research.
Assignment
Professor X discusses a number of specific aspects of the community college system and student body. For instance, some of the questions Professor X raised include:
1. **Are community colleges in fact “colleges of last resort?” (this is the one I chose to write about)**
2. Should college be available for everyone? Should it be required for the bulk of the population?
3. Are older students are less capable in terms of writing/English skills?
4. Are younger students are less motivated?
5. Is the community college a place made up of mostly students with subpar high school grades and few extracurricular activities?
6. Do teachers and/or students have it easier in disciplines other than English, as Professor X insinuates with his reference to memorization and being ready to simply “spit answers back”?
7. Professor X says, “Our presence together in these evening classes is evidence that we all have screwed up.” Is this true of community college students/professors?
8. Is there inherent value in forcing students to take general education (specifically English) classes, especially when they may struggle and fail multiple times?
9. Do certain groups of students put in less academic effort?
10. Should community colleges continue to register students “who cannot possibly pass” certain classes, according to Professor X?
11. What impact do students with “deficits” have on the class as a whole?
Choose one of the topics above, or another claim that Professor X makes, and take a stand on it, making an arguable claim of your own. You will specifically cite quotes from “In the Basement of the Ivory Tower” as a primary text, and find additional outside research to use in support of your claim. You should also include your own personal examples and viewpoints.
Your paper should be 5 to 7 full, double-spaced pages (12 pt. Times New Roman font and one-inch margins), and must include at least five credible outside sources (no Wikipedia!) in addition to the Professor X article. You will also include a one-page Works Cited at the end of your paper, in MLA format (minimum of 6 pages total: 5 of writing, plus works cited).
Audience
Your audience for this paper is this class—your professor and your classmates. This means you should be writing for readers in an academic setting.
Grading
An “A” paper answers the prompt, but also shows a substantial amount of both critical thinking and an application of the close reading and analytical techniques we have discussed and practiced in class. An “A” paper will also include:
• A strong, clear introduction containing both a presentation of the topic and a well-thought out, complex and arguable thesis statement
• Substantial support in the form of outside research and analysis from the writer
• A mixture of summary, paraphrasing, and quoting
• Succinct, focused paragraphs
• Logical organization
• Correct grammar and proper punctuation
• A clear thread throughout the paper back to the thesis statement
• Appropriate transitions between ideas
• A compelling conclusion in which the thesis is revisited and the reader is given something new to act upon or consider
If you have any questions or concerns about this essay, I encourage you to email me or come see me during my office hours. Also, consider taking your draft (or an outline, or your ideas) to the Writing Center. If you do so, be sure to go early so that you have enough time to make revisions before handing in the essay.
Instructor:
Course:
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ARE COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN FACT "COLLEGES OF LAST RESORT"
Introduction
The American educational system has for a long time been associated with affluence and hence, class. As a result, much focus has been placed on the success of students through the universities and recognized colleges around the country. So often, little is said about community colleges. They actually tend to occupy the lower ranks of tertiary institutions and are therefore not held in the same breath as universities. Community colleges are usually given quite a bad vibe, with much of it relating to the being colleges of last resort, due to the fact that they are destinations for the so-called ‘lower’ category of students as a last ditch attempt for them to gain some technical training. Following the assertions from Professor X, community colleges are no different to these other higher level colleges and universities. They can in fact have even the same kind of physical layout to that of well-known universities such as Harvard but the difference lies in the finer details, such as the quality of education and the students in there. The professor however, has quite a lot of reasons that also contribute to the general narrative of this paper, about community colleges being the colleges of last resort.
Community College
In the U.S.A, a community college is a lower-level tertiary institution that offers students with the chance to get into higher level universities and colleges by offering a two-year head start education. They are usually lower priced when it comes to school fees and therefore, offer an easier way into college compared to other tertiary institutions. They are also known as junior colleges, and are quite essential in providing the student with the chance to obtain a pathway into the mainstream 4-year degree courses of their choice. In so doing, there is a great level appreciation for the system, since the student is given a chance to make a career, whichever the stage it begins from.
Just like any other institution of higher learning in the U.S., community colleges also offer certificates of qualification, also known as diploma certificates. They have been part and parcel of the American educational system and attempts by the government to reach out to everyone in the society with quality tertiary education. The all-inclusive approach was well-demonstrated by the Obama administration, which placed much emphasis on the increased enrollment into community colleges for the sake of improving the levels of skilled literacy amongst individuals in the society. To him, it provided a chance for one to engage in quality part-time education, even while working on the other hand.
Reasons Why It Is a College of Last Resort
Community colleges are indeed colleges of last resort because they offer the student with only the basic educational requirement. This is because, as Professor X alludes, they are part-time oriented. Not only the students but also the instructors in these institutions do it on part time basis. The Professor is himself a part time instructor in one of the community colleges too. He teaches English on a part-time basis as well, both of his English units are elementary,such as introd...
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