2 Year Better Than 4

ESLL26-08 04/17/2013 Journal Homework#1 In the article that I read, “Two Years Are Better Than Four”, Liz Addison, expresses her opinion on community colleges, which she believes that the community college system should be regarded as one of America’s uniquely great institutions, not only because community colleges lets students have a place to start their higher education, but also because community colleges is critical to the nation by offering people a network of affordable future, of accessible hope, and an option to dream.

Addison firstly refutes Rick Perlstein’s opinion and states “My guess, reading between the lines, is that Mr. Perlstein has never set foot in an American Community College”. Then coupled with the writing that came before this statement, this line sets up Addison’s paper and provides the reader with her thesis “The philosophy of the community college is one that unconditionally allows its students to begin”. And Addison properly concluded her opinion of community colleges towards the end of the essay that the community college really matters to these students, from different backgrounds.

It services them a way to prove themselves who would never breathe the college experience. From where I stand, I would look on the community college as a turning point for the whole life rather than a start. Regardless of what background you had or how horrible your life was — yes, they make everyone equal —- and there you will have one shot, one opportunity to make your whole life a big turn. For workers, they will approach the higher education.

Community colleges make a balance of occupation and education for them; it becomes possible to take the class after working. The working people have already had rich experience, but lacking of theoretical knowledge, and there they may master it so that they can make progress in their work and improve the quality of their lives. For students who are not ready for the 4-year universities, they will find discovery of a two-year preparation and transfer to a better university. Take myself as an example.

I graduate from a high school in China and just moved in America last month. Failing the exam or dropping out of school may happen to me if I go to a 4-year university directly without language training and then I would spend the rest of my life in the restaurant on waiting tables. Thank of the community college, it offers a key to the American society and live that I can grow up a little bit with my first English class, a bit more with making American friends, a whole lot more with understanding American culture. My life is going to turn with just a placement test.