Liz Addison's Two Years Are Better Than Four

Deciding whether to attend a community college or university can be a difficult decision for students especially high school seniors and fresh high school graduates. After graduating from high school, the next step in the academic journey is to attend a college or a university. Before I got into college, I wanted to attend a university. I never considered attending a community college because I considered it irrelevant and less rewarding than a university. Now I have a different view about community colleges and I can clearly point out the major difference between a community college and a university. A community college is a two year college which offers two or three year courses and award associate degrees and certificates. Most community colleges are linked with certain universities which makes it easier for students to transfer. My decision to attend a community was strongly influenced by Cost, easy transition to university, and the need to balance school, work, and social life.

In the essay, Two Years Are Better Than Four, the author, Liz Addison, gives her opinion on the importance of community college. The main point that she is trying to convey to her audience is that going to a community college is not harming the essential college experience. For some individuals, such as herself, the two-year college experience is exactly what they need to further their education. Community college is an affordable place that can “foster dreams (Addison)”. Throughout the reading, Addison makes compelling statements to prove the point which she is trying to make.

The general argument made by Liz Addison in her work, “Two Years Are Better than Four”, is that the college experience remains unchanged. More specifically, Addison argues that the community college experience is more detrimental to society, over that of university experience. She writes, “…Arguably, the community college experience is more critical to the nation than that of former beatnik types who, lest we forget, did not change the world. (pg. 257)” In this passage, Addison is suggesting that the experiences one receives in a community college differ from the experiences they would receive in a university, in that the community college could provide an individual with the knowledge and experience to change and improve the world, rather

Liz Addison, the author of “Two Years Are Better than Four,” started with a question on the importance of college. She wrote this essay in response to Perlstein’s piece, “What’s the Matter With College.” Addison argued that college is important while Perlstein thought differently. Starting with how the beginning of the college process starts, Addison states that for any one person, that the idea of a community college is for one to begin their journey (Addison, 256). This I would agree with because attending a four-year college during the start of the college journey, I have found myself lost with no idea on how to begin. Therefore, transferring to a community college, finally realizing that a community college is where I should have begun.

The article Two Years Are Better than Four was written by Liz Addison which she responded to Rick Perlstein’s opinion piece about “What’s the Matter With College?”. Based on her experience, Author Addison claimed that community colleges unconditionally allow students to begin which give them opportunities for understanding and everything possible. Because of letting any students in, community colleges would give discoveries of their independent thoughts and independent studies first. She was proud of getting her education by entering community colleges in America as mentioning, Thomas Jefferson’s writing, “Everybody should have an education proportional to my education.”. She also criticized about about Mr. Perlstein and his friends said that

In the article “Two Years Are Better Than Four” author Liz Addison writes about how community college is a forgotten option for many students in America, and that it is not well advertised like the universities are. She writes about how community college is a great option for students who need a less expensive option, but still want a chance to further their education. Addison also writes about how they allow everyone to attend so you can “just begin”. Community college is a great option for many students because it allows for an affordable option for students to continue their education.

“College for the Masses” by David Leonhardt is a great article that displays the many benefits among lower-income students attending a four year college. “Why Poor Students Struggle” by Vicki Madden displays many examples from hers and her colleagues experiences while providing statistics of the lower-income joining a four year college. The two articles both display the benefits of attending a four year college and that the education pays off. David’s article talked about the different education levels based on their test score before attending the university and the amount of income, while Vicki’s focused more on the income and the effects on grades of students while attending the college on low income. David also goes more in detail about the disadvantages of community college than Vicki’s description of community college. “College for the Masses”, in my opinion, had more intensive descriptions and examples on the benefits of starting in a four year university, rather than community college.

Similarly, in “Two Years Are Better than Four”, Liz Addison argues that Community College is a good option for those who are not prepared for college or are unable to pay for a traditional 4-year degree. “Community college welcome people who comes from different background” (Addison). Because how much affordable Community college is in comparison to a traditional 4-year college. Community College gives hope to those who parents are blue-collar workers trying to give a better future to their children or those like my stepmother, who cannot obtain a four-year degree from medical school because of how much it costs. However, she can look for

Within the article, “Are Too Many People Going To College?”, by Charles Murray, he goes over the reasons why we don’t necessarily need to go to college to be successful. By this, he is talking about how most liberal arts should be taught properly within grades K-8. What I mostly agree on with him is the topic of how four years of college is ridiculous. From personal experience and the practicality of learning important information, I strongly believe that students should have to spend four years at college. Why learn something irrelevant and have the possibility to fail if you learn the material for your future career sooner and successfully.

Students that choose to go to college are going “for a variety of good reasons, such as low cost, location, emphasis on teaching, and flexible class schedules” (page 330). Most students that attend four year universities are straight out of high school and living off of their mommy and daddy’s money and seem to have no bigger responsibility than barely getting stuff done to get by and to graduate. We, as older students, choose to go to a community college because we know that the teachers are more willing to help and we know that we have a better chance of graduating because of the above listed reasons. The amount of help we can get from our teachers is very crucial in passing classes and graduating.

One of the biggest decisions a student has to make is deciding the college they should choose, a university or a community college? At the end of their high school years, a student must decide what college would be best for them. If they are fortunate enough not to have to go to work and wait to go to college, then they must make a decision. There are many advantages and benefits of attending a community college. Students should carefully weigh the advantages of each college, as there are many pros and cons of both. As both of them provide a number of choices, it makes a student's decision very exhausting whether a community college or university best fits them. As there are many advantages attending a community college, tuition is a big factor, as it is only a fraction of that at a university which makes it much better to choose a community college to begin your college career.

Today, many people seek higher education for a better advantage in finding a job and getting a better life. Even though many people think going to a four year college directly from high school is a good idea; they are wrong. Starting out at a two year community college is more affordable. Also, it helps people explore careers and prepare people to do better in four years college later down the road.

Attending a community college has several benefits such as the low tuition and book fees, smaller classes, and experienced teachers at an affordable cost. In this two year period students also have the time to mature and get serious about their career before they get into the four year institution

Two Years Are Better than Four is an essay by Liz Addison, published in the New York Times Magazine’s College Essay Contest. It follows the fictional, yet symbolic, character, Rick Perlstein. Through the character, Addison expresses her thoughts on the American Higher Education system. Consequently, she highlights the importance of community colleges in the provision of higher education. Addison discounts the 4-year courses provided by mainstream universities. Throughout her essay, Liz Addison claims that Community Colleges are better institutions of higher learning as compared to Universities. This paper tries to outline them as it provides reasoning, evidence and assumptions presumed, in coming up with the aforementioned arguments.

There are two reasons why community college students should receive a liberal arts education. One is we should strive to be a society of free people. He meant, the students should expand their knowledge and learn everything possible, which is good for their future. If they can succeed in different areas, they have more knowledge to make something of themselves. The one who just learn one profession and one direction, has less opportunity to be successful.