High school and college students are often placed under volumes of pressure and high expectations for years. These pressures, which include preparing for college and managing to pay off student debt, create stress for many students. Many students turn to the help of parents, teachers, and counselors to help through the demanding times. In endeavoring to guide these students entering college, Glenn Harlan Reynolds wrote The Education Apocalypse: How It Happened and How to Survive It. He tries to offer advice towards students and everyone within the education sector. Reynolds thoroughly illustrates many issues in recent trends within the education system; however, he lacks the insight to convince readers towards his poorly supported predictions.
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Most high school students understand that college often creates a high financial burden, but Reynolds puts the current deficit into exact figures. Using an extended quote from Andy Kessler of the Wall Street Journal, Reynolds shows that “since 1990 the cost of college has increased four times the rate of inflation. Student loans are clocking in at $1 trillion” (50). This staggering number could make anyone think twice about why the debt is so immense. Bearing this debt may not mean anything until the student gets a job that does not pay enough to afford loan payments. Reynolds forces students to recognize that “tuition costs have grown to a point at which future income often isn’t enough to pay off the debt” (17). These arguments logically defend Reynolds advice to students about not going into debt. As a current college professor, Reynolds acts as a credible source for this advice with a strong ethos. Using strong rhetoric, he manifests that “the current system isn’t working. And, alas, neither are too many of its graduates” (67). Reynolds hits a delicate point about the hard truth of the current state of the country and the education system. He appears to have a firm understanding of the current issues in the education system thanks to his sources; however, although he is able to point out the problems, his solutions are often …show more content…
He often discusses the negative aspects of public education but fails to see it as anything except “just another program for the poor” (83). He makes vast generalizations about the students and teachers involved in public education. He fails to realize that there are thousands of teachers dedicated to improving the lives of their students, but only discusses the negative sides. For many students, public education is the best option for them and is an environment where they thrive. Reynolds advocates “[allowing] different approaches” (83), but fails to recognize public education as a beneficial source of schooling. This hypocrisy hinders Reynolds arguments and hurts his ethos. His tone often comes off as arrogant and pretentious as he talks about himself and his daughter. His daughter completed most of her high school online and is his only example towards online education. Not only does this limited support hurt this weakly supported alternative, but his attitude towards his daughter is quite egotistical. Although “some kids don’t have the discipline” (82) he certainly believes that his daughter does. Without any other support towards online education, Reynolds only provides personal anecdotal commentary and has no other backing. Many of his examples equally lack support. Reynolds’s section titled “Some Quasi-Predictions”
Most high school students understand that college often creates a high financial burden, but Reynolds puts the current deficit into exact figures. Using an extended quote from Andy Kessler of the Wall Street Journal, Reynolds shows that “since 1990 the cost of college has increased four times the rate of inflation. Student loans are clocking in at $1 trillion” (50). This staggering number could make anyone think twice about why the debt is so immense. Bearing this debt may not mean anything until the student gets a job that does not pay enough to afford loan payments. Reynolds forces students to recognize that “tuition costs have grown to a point at which future income often isn’t enough to pay off the debt” (17). These arguments logically defend Reynolds advice to students about not going into debt. As a current college professor, Reynolds acts as a credible source for this advice with a strong ethos. Using strong rhetoric, he manifests that “the current system isn’t working. And, alas, neither are too many of its graduates” (67). Reynolds hits a delicate point about the hard truth of the current state of the country and the education system. He appears to have a firm understanding of the current issues in the education system thanks to his sources; however, although he is able to point out the problems, his solutions are often …show more content…
He often discusses the negative aspects of public education but fails to see it as anything except “just another program for the poor” (83). He makes vast generalizations about the students and teachers involved in public education. He fails to realize that there are thousands of teachers dedicated to improving the lives of their students, but only discusses the negative sides. For many students, public education is the best option for them and is an environment where they thrive. Reynolds advocates “[allowing] different approaches” (83), but fails to recognize public education as a beneficial source of schooling. This hypocrisy hinders Reynolds arguments and hurts his ethos. His tone often comes off as arrogant and pretentious as he talks about himself and his daughter. His daughter completed most of her high school online and is his only example towards online education. Not only does this limited support hurt this weakly supported alternative, but his attitude towards his daughter is quite egotistical. Although “some kids don’t have the discipline” (82) he certainly believes that his daughter does. Without any other support towards online education, Reynolds only provides personal anecdotal commentary and has no other backing. Many of his examples equally lack support. Reynolds’s section titled “Some Quasi-Predictions”