One might argue that college is only for smart people, that it is too expensive, or that it’s a waste of money. While another might argue that college is necessary for personal growth and to achieve a successful career. Andre Perry, in his essay “Stop Saying ‘College Isn’t for Everyone’” argues that people should stop saying “that the “college isn’t for everyone” cliché is really a euphemism for those people who aren't smart enough for college.” Perry develops his argument through the use of two rhetorical appeals: logos and ethos, amplified by thought-provoking rhetorical questions and effective references to prove his claim. He writes to get rid of the popular cliche of “college isn’t for everyone” in order to change society’s perception of the “need” of college.
Perry begins with, “Stop Saying ‘College Isn’t for Everyone’” he argues that “ “college isn’t for everyone” cliché is really a euphemism for those people who aren't smart enough for college. In his essay, he states “Clearly, not everyone goes to college. But the “not for everyone” verbiage is most frequently used in conversations about improving education for low-income students. Soon thereafter comes the unimaginative bailout for underachieving kids – vocational training”. Perry initiates the fact that a lot of people just don’t want to go to college but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t excel if they went. Or people who don’t think they're smart enough to achieve a higher education when in fact a higher education allows a person to pursue a career that interests and inspires them. When a person has the freedom to choose their career, they are more likely to enjoy it. Higher job satisfaction also comes from higher income, better employment benefits, and more advancement opportunities. By a person choosing not to go to college, they are simply limiting their own success if they don’t already have an interest in being an entrepreneur. But even with being an entrepreneur, you’d need money which is why Perry proves a valid point in why a person should pursue higher education.
After the author moves to, develop his argument through the use of two rhetorical appeals: logos and ethos, amplified by thought-provoking rhetorical questions and effective references to prove his claim. In the article, Perry uses logos by stating that “One study found that “students in career pathways outperformed their peers on the number of credits they earned in STEM and AP classes while also earning higher GPAs in their CTE classes.”Perry appeals to the audience's logical side. He thought about what made sense to the audience and used that to build his argument. In the article, he appeals to logos by presenting a line of reasoning in his argument that is logical and clear. He uses ethos by claiming “Famous college dropouts like Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Bill Gates are often used as examples of how high-paying jobs are available for those with only high school or community college training. But Zuckerberg and Jobs aren’t examples of why colleges don’t work; they are examples of why colleges must change.” Perry uses ethos in his article, and it shows how he balances it out with the use of logos to build a complete and persuasive argument.
To close the essay, Perry writes to get rid of the popular cliche of “college isn’t for everyone” in order to change society’s perception of the “need” of college. Concluding the argument, He builds a very logical and persuasive argument using ethos and logos to capture the reader's attention. This is a necessity if he feels he is going to initiate any change within the education system. To make students flourish and more open to pursuing higher education so they can have higher chances at a successful life. In the article, Perry states “College isn’t just for people whom we deem ready. We actually need to educate and transform people whom we’re not ready for. Achievement as a result of selectivity isn’t education – it’s selectivity