Maddy Gipe
College English
Summary Essay
January 25, 2016
Too Much Money?
In the article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, authors Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus address whether higher education is worth the prices or not. They say that tuition costs have more than doubled since the last generation (179). Hacker and Dreifus question whether the colleges are giving the students their money’s worth. They think that colleges have taken on too many responsibilities, and they need to focus on expanding their students’ minds. Hacker and Dreifus give brief examples of important priorities colleges should focus on, such as engaging with all students, pushing students to expand their minds, and spreading donations around.
Hacker and Dreifus insist that colleges need to require superior, engaging teachers. They think that everyone should have the opportunity to attend college. This would require the professors to engage with each and everyone of their students. Hacker and Dreifus state, “They must become conscientious, caring, and attentive to every corner of their classrooms” (180). In other words, the authors believe that if the colleges make sure they have quality professors, the pricing for the college would not be as outrageous. At the University of Notre Dame, a college normally known for football, their academics and student life are highly regarded. The teachers and administrators seem to be just as invested as the students; with a 13-to-one student-faculty ratio, the professors take an interest in pushing their students and helping them succeed (Hacker and Dreifus 184). Hacker and Dreifus believe that hiring professors who are going to take the time to care about their students will make the college more valuable, thus making the tuition price reasonable.
Another priority which Hacker and Dreifus think colleges need to focus is pushing their students to step out of their comfort-zone and expand their intelligence. Instead, they believe that students are settling, rather than taking risks. According to Hacker and Dreifus, “. . . some 64 percent of undergraduate students are enrolled in vocational majors, instead of choosing fields like philosophy, literature, or the physical sciences” (180). Basically, the authors think that these studies show that students are settling for easier paths, rather than challenging themselves and striving to be their best. More often than not, students seem to have trouble picking a major. The majority of students focus on getting their general education classes finished; then they pick an easier, generic major. These students focus on what they need accomplished to move on, instead of broadening their choices and venturing into a more in-depth major. If colleges made a point of hiring a staff that would inspire their students to strive further, then students would take more risks, work harder, and ultimately work in prestigious careers. Hacker and Dreifus think that if the colleges inspire and motivate their students to take risks, be different, and go after their dreams then the student’s and college’s success rate will skyrocket and the high prices of admission will be understandable.
Finally, Hacker and Dreifus mention that there are many benefactors donating to colleges that do not need the funds. The authors think there are other colleges that could use the funds more effectively and do not have any benefactors helping them out. The authors suggest, “... Pick another college-there’s a long, deserving list-and send your check where it will truly do some good” (Hacker and Dreifus 183). Hacker and Dreifus’ point is that the money could help out the other colleges more efficiently than the big, well provided for institutions. These institutions receive great amounts of money even in economically tough times, where as other colleges do not. Hacker and Dreifus even recognized some colleges that do not charge tuition, such as Berea College. This college asks students to work a certain amount of hours a week, instead of tuition. Berea is a liberal-arts college with a 10-to-one student-faculty ratio (185). Hacker and Dreifus think these colleges make a specific effort to accommodate students and parents who can not afford tuition fees.
To sum up, Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus express great concern about the pricing for colleges and whether the content from the school negates the daunting tuition costs. In their article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, the authors express many ideas of ways the colleges could make sure that their prices are made worthwhile for the students and parents. Engaging students in academic content, motivating students to do their best, and donating funds to worthy colleges are some of the ideas Hacker and Dreifus present for colleges to enhance their criteria and to make the price worth attending.
Works Cited
Hacker, Andrew, and Claudia Dreifus. "Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 179-189. Print
College English
Summary Essay
January 25, 2016
Too Much Money?
In the article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, authors Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus address whether higher education is worth the prices or not. They say that tuition costs have more than doubled since the last generation (179). Hacker and Dreifus question whether the colleges are giving the students their money’s worth. They think that colleges have taken on too many responsibilities, and they need to focus on expanding their students’ minds. Hacker and Dreifus give brief examples of important priorities colleges should focus on, such as engaging with all students, pushing students to expand their minds, and spreading donations around.
Hacker and Dreifus insist that colleges need to require superior, engaging teachers. They think that everyone should have the opportunity to attend college. This would require the professors to engage with each and everyone of their students. Hacker and Dreifus state, “They must become conscientious, caring, and attentive to every corner of their classrooms” (180). In other words, the authors believe that if the colleges make sure they have quality professors, the pricing for the college would not be as outrageous. At the University of Notre Dame, a college normally known for football, their academics and student life are highly regarded. The teachers and administrators seem to be just as invested as the students; with a 13-to-one student-faculty ratio, the professors take an interest in pushing their students and helping them succeed (Hacker and Dreifus 184). Hacker and Dreifus believe that hiring professors who are going to take the time to care about their students will make the college more valuable, thus making the tuition price reasonable.
Another priority which Hacker and Dreifus think colleges need to focus is pushing their students to step out of their comfort-zone and expand their intelligence. Instead, they believe that students are settling, rather than taking risks. According to Hacker and Dreifus, “. . . some 64 percent of undergraduate students are enrolled in vocational majors, instead of choosing fields like philosophy, literature, or the physical sciences” (180). Basically, the authors think that these studies show that students are settling for easier paths, rather than challenging themselves and striving to be their best. More often than not, students seem to have trouble picking a major. The majority of students focus on getting their general education classes finished; then they pick an easier, generic major. These students focus on what they need accomplished to move on, instead of broadening their choices and venturing into a more in-depth major. If colleges made a point of hiring a staff that would inspire their students to strive further, then students would take more risks, work harder, and ultimately work in prestigious careers. Hacker and Dreifus think that if the colleges inspire and motivate their students to take risks, be different, and go after their dreams then the student’s and college’s success rate will skyrocket and the high prices of admission will be understandable.
Finally, Hacker and Dreifus mention that there are many benefactors donating to colleges that do not need the funds. The authors think there are other colleges that could use the funds more effectively and do not have any benefactors helping them out. The authors suggest, “... Pick another college-there’s a long, deserving list-and send your check where it will truly do some good” (Hacker and Dreifus 183). Hacker and Dreifus’ point is that the money could help out the other colleges more efficiently than the big, well provided for institutions. These institutions receive great amounts of money even in economically tough times, where as other colleges do not. Hacker and Dreifus even recognized some colleges that do not charge tuition, such as Berea College. This college asks students to work a certain amount of hours a week, instead of tuition. Berea is a liberal-arts college with a 10-to-one student-faculty ratio (185). Hacker and Dreifus think these colleges make a specific effort to accommodate students and parents who can not afford tuition fees.
To sum up, Andrew Hacker and Claudia Dreifus express great concern about the pricing for colleges and whether the content from the school negates the daunting tuition costs. In their article “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, the authors express many ideas of ways the colleges could make sure that their prices are made worthwhile for the students and parents. Engaging students in academic content, motivating students to do their best, and donating funds to worthy colleges are some of the ideas Hacker and Dreifus present for colleges to enhance their criteria and to make the price worth attending.
Works Cited
Hacker, Andrew, and Claudia Dreifus. "Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission." They Say I Say With Readings. By Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein. Ed. Russel Durst. 2E ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2012. 179-189. Print