In the article, “Is College Worth It?" written by Michelle Adam, Adam argues based on a study reported that a majority of Americans (57%) say that the higher education system in the U.S. fails to provide students with good value for the money (Adam 231). Adam supports this claim by giving numerous examples supported by the Pew Research Center, including telephone and online surveys. Adam further highlights that both surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center not only revealed that the majority of the public felt they were not getting a good value, but also disclosed a long-held belief about the importance of higher education also remained true. The intended audience for this article would be college students worldwide who may also hold the same perceptions on the value of college. In my own perception, this article is valid in many cases; mainly because I too am a college student. College is very expensive and it will make you question if it is really worth it. Adam’s arguments are strongly supported by her surplus use of statistics. With such numbers, Adam’s main reason for asking “Is College Worth It?” is the financial basis. She states this with textual support saying that “While the number of students attending college steadily rises in the U.S., the majority does not attend four-year colleges and the primary reason is financial" (Adam 232). Adam concludes that college is worth it, but this report reveals an urgent need for our nation to address the high cost and practical value of a college education that still remains out of reach for most Americans.
Adam, Michelle. "Is College Worth It." Connection. Ed. Mary R. Lamb. N.p.: n.p., 2013. N. pag. Print.
Yolanda Melville, in her informative article “Is College Really Worth It,” explains that college students are graduating and obtaining jobs, but many argue they are not making enough money after they graduate to pay off their student loans and debts (Melville 235). She shows this by using bullet points from President Obama’s plan and gives recommendations on what to consider as you make your educational investment (Melville 235). Melville wrote this article in order to show students that understanding college is an investment is key (Melville 237). The author speaks to all students, especially those currently in college or those considering college in their future.
After reading Melville’s article, I am not in agreement with her. My reason being that even though college is a great experience where you can meet new friends and just enjoy life for a few years before being forced out into the "real world," that's not what it's all about. What it all boils down to is money. How much is my education going to cost? How much can I make when I get out? If I'm not making enough money to live off of and to pay for my college education then I'm not doing well. The majority of college students leave school with a staggering amount of debt that will take the majority of their lives to pay off. Having fun and enjoying your four years does not outweigh a mountain of student loan debt.
Yolanda Melville’s article is strengthened by the information she presents from President Obama’s plan. His plan is to include larger grants, investments in community colleges, increased support for minority serving institutions, and expanded income-based repayment plans to make college more affordable. This strengthens her article because it shows it could make college worth it in the long run, but, until then, we have to face reality and not make decisions that will take our entire life to pay off.
Melville, Yolanda. "Is College Really Worth It?" Connections. Ed. Mary R. Lamb. N.p.: n.p., 2013.
In the informative article, “Mirror, Mirror on my Facebook Wall: Effects of Exposure to Facebook on Self-Esteem” (2013), written by Amy L. Gonzales and Jeffrey T. Hancock, the authors claim that Facebook lowers the self-esteem of the users of the site (Gonzales, Hancock 202). Gonzales and Hancock exploit this information in the results found in their experimental research. The authors explain the effects the social media site has on self esteem in order to make everyone aware of the extremity of the situation and how media may alter social processes. The intended audience of this article is people who may not be aware of the drastic effects to self-esteem Facebook has on themselves and the world around them.
After reading this article, I am in agreement with part of it, but I also slightly disagree. I believe that Facebook, along with other social media sites, tend to lower the self-esteem of the majority of its users due to the rude comments, negative feedback, and snide remarks made by others on the site. But, in contrast, the other people on the site, people who are your family and true friends could boost your self-esteem easily by a polite comment or compliment such as on a photograph or self update status.
Gonzales and Hancock’s argument is weakened because the long-term effects of using Facebook cannot be determined from a single study taking place in such a short amount of time with 63 students. They do not draw a strong conclusion with such an overgeneralization of the effects on self-esteem of Facebook in their one experiment.
Gonzales, Amy L., and Jeffrey T. Hancock. "“Mirror, Mirror on My Facebook Wall: Effects of Exposure to Facebook on Self-Esteem"" Connections. Ed. Mary R. Lamb. N.p.: n.p., 2013. N. pag. Print.
In my own perception, this article is valid in many cases; mainly because I too am a college student. College is very expensive and it will make you question if it is really worth it. 
