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Abstract Assignment

 

 

The American school system is not nearly as terrible as many students make it out to be. While it may not be the absolute best it provides students with opportunities that students in other countries, such as Italy in this instance, do not. To begin with, America allows its students to attend general classes up until the college level. The Italian system requires there students to take a test at a young age that places them on a path that they do not get to choose. The students either go on a path to college or to learn a trade. Imagine if something like this tried to take place in the United States, the land of “equal opportunity.” The use of technology is the classroom is also a big benefit that the US provides its students with. Italy is a country that is stuck in the past and main focus is maintaining their culture and traditions. With the 21st century school system the use of technology allows students to connect to all areas of the world and stay up to date on the every changing technology. It also gives students the convenience of being able to share work without being with the person and re edit previously written assignments.   Compared to Italy, which is my no means a third world country, the United States strongly demonstrates its benefits over other systems. America is always looking forward and does its best to provide students with every opportunity possible, including allowing them to student what they want. Its not perfect but it is something to be proud of.

Annotated Bibliography: The European System vs. The United States

When asked about education, one question always pops into my head. If a degree is something so important and necessary, why is it so expensive and difficult to be able to financially obtain one? European school systems have programs set in place that allow students who score high enough to attend college for free. While this does mean that at a young age students will be tested for there aptitude, it does give everyone regardless of class, a chance to receive a degree. The question is, how is does the European education system differ from the United States and what are the major advantages or disadvantages?  The first  source I have chosen to annotate is a book with the title Lobbying in the European Community. This book covers the basics of European society and there view on education. While it does talk about Europe in general, it focuses mainly on Brussels, which is not the main focus of my essay. It was published by Oxford University in England. Oxford is  a reliable source. Not only because it is a university, but it is in Europe which means it is a part of this system that it is discussing. Until I am able to receive a full copy of this book I will be unable to analyze further.  Once it is in I will further analyze and post.

 

Mazey, Sonia, and J. J. Richardson. Lobbying in the European Community. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1993. Print.

Is it worth the money to get a degree?

Mark Schneider, the author of “How much is your Bachelors degree really worth,” does not advocate not going to college, rather discusses the assumptions  that Universities and banks use to try to persuade people towards getting a college degree. The common line used by everyone, including Arizona State and State Farm,  is that those who graduate college are most likely going to make about a million dollars more than a person who does not attend college.  Throughout this article, the author uses multiple numbers and quotes from different companies or schools that either believe in the one million dollar line, or do not. By reading the article the reader can see the biased in the authors voice, which leads me to be slightly hesitant as to what is being said. Schneider comes off as close minded which can come off as aggressive and  this intensity could cause him to not connect very well with his audience. Those that this article would most connect with would be students that are nearing the age of deciding if college is for them, and parents who are deciding whether to invest in a degree for their child. It is a well written article with valid quotes and numbers, however as a student, I would not recommend relying solely on this article.

The price you pay for furthering your education

In our modern society, education is something that we have drilled into our brains from day one. As young children we go to pre school, which prepares us for kindergarten. The sole purpose of which is to set the basic groundwork for the rest of our educational experiences, whatever those may be. Back when my parents were children it was not unheard of to not get a college degree, in fact, many people did not and they still were able to get good paying and reliable jobs . Unfortunately the same thing can not be said today. With the job market being as highly competitive as it is, every job seeking individual needs to have something that separates them from the rest. That “something” is a college degree. At the very minimum a person needs a masters to compete. Now this is not saying that the only way to get a good job is with a college degree. Some people are able to get jobs based off of how their personalities are and their work ethic. Sadly the vast majority of people do need the degree though, certain jobs will not even give an interview without one. The purpose of this entry is not to harp on what you can and cannot do with a college degree, but rather to stress the emphasize our culture puts on needing to have one. While I do agree that a person should further their education, it is not as simple as just wanting to. The financial means necessary to attend college is quite hefty. Yes, there are scholarships and loans available, but not everyone qualifies or is able to get these forms of financial aid. That turns college into just a dream for many people. I feel that if society is going to make getting a degree such a big deal, then it should be more easily accessible . I lived in Europe for a vast majority of my life, and  in certain parts receiving a college education is cheap if not free. For example, in both Italy and Germany, if you test into a certain level of high school and then graduate you receive a free college education. Other students must pay, but even then it is  much much cheaper. If the United States implemented a system similar to this I believe it would help raise not only the generally education of the population, but change the lives of many in ways that could benefit us all. Something this important to our culture should be made easily accessible , financial wise, to all. Keep in mind, this is not in any way saying to lower the standards for admission.