Community Colleges Are More Important Than a Four Years

Ralph Lauren

Professor Tarle

English 101

February 25, 2017

Community Colleges are more important than a Four Years

        “The community college system is America’s hidden public service gem” (Addison 257). College has been a key part on what makes this country continue to grow and help develop young teens into adults. Without colleges, young adults wouldn’t be able to fully develop into their full potential. Many people however believe that community colleges have more value to people than four years because of the endless opportunities it gives people. Community colleges can help people find a career path if they are not sure what they want to do with their life yet. In the article, “Two Years are better than Four,” author Liz Addison successfully convinces the readers of her position on community colleges being more important than four years because of use of ethos, logos, and pathos throughout the article.

        Liz Addison is able to use ethos effectively by stating all of her credentials in the beginning of the article. According to the article, “Liz Addison attended Piedmont Virginia Community College and Southern Maine Community College, where she graduated with a degree in biology in 2008” (Addison 255). Liz is stating that she went to a community college and graduated with a degree in biology which tells the reader that she has experienced what she is arguing for. It gives her credibility because she’s actually knows what she’s talking about, unlike some other writers who go off word to mouth when they are trying to make an argument. When you’ve gone through the situation, it also assures the reader that she is credible for her argument. It also helps that she didn’t only go to community college. In the article it states, “She received a graduate degree from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2014 and now works as a veterinarian in Virginia” (Addison 225). The reason it helps her argument is it tells the reader that she has experienced both sides of what she is arguing. It gives her credibility because she is not bias towards a community college or four year since she’s experienced both. Liz Addison using ethos in her article helps her persuade the reader towards her argument because they can trust her. Not only does she use ethos effectively in her article, but she’s also able to insert logos effectively.

        By using the logical appeal, Addison is able to make her argument that community colleges are better than Universities more effective. In the article she states, “The philosophy of the community college, and I have been to two of them, is one that conditionally allows its students to begin. Just begin. Implicit in this belief is the understanding that anything and everything is possible” (Addison 256). She’s informing the reader that community college is a good starting point for students that are just beginning their college experience. If you are not sure what you want to do when you’re older or not sure where you want to go to college than why not begin at a community college for two years. She’s using logic to explain to the reader her point of view of why community colleges are better than four years. She wants to continue to imply to the reader that she is using logic and not being bias towards her argument. In the article Liz states, “When Mr. Perlstein and friends say college no longer holds importance, they mourn for both the individual and society” (Addison 257). She is using logic by stating her counter-argument. Whenever an opposite view is brought up in the article, she quickly has an answer for it. She doesn’t just debunk the opposite views in the article, but instead uses logic to oppose other counter claims. This makes her article stronger because she’s not afraid to show the counter claim knowing that she has a strong basis on the argument itself. She continues to use this appeal of logos throughout the article and also successfully uses pathos.

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