Proposal.
“A weak labor market already has left half of young college graduates either jobless or underemployed in positions that don't fully use their skills and knowledge (Yen).” It is very hard for many people to find steady work in America today, but it is even more difficult for recent college graduates. During the campaigns of the recent presidential election, one of the most important topics was unemployment, which is now at 7.9% (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Due to an over-regulated government and poor economy, almost all businesses have taken an economic hit and have released workers. As private business owners continue to lose faith in the economy, jobs will only become more difficult to find (NFIB). A college degree is no longer the key to a successful future, and often times, it can actually be a burden. The average debt of a college graduate is now over $26,000 (Project on Student Debt). This number is up about 5% from last year (USA Today). It is critical to America’s financial well being that the future workforce is not only motivated by education, but benefits from education as well.
Society today views everyone as equal and strives to give all individuals the same opportunities. While this sounds enticing and fair, not everyone deserves to go to college. Scholarships are given out to far too many people based on race or gender, not academic success or potential. Colby Bohannan, a leader of the Former Majority Association for Equality, once said “It just got really frustrating when every other scholarship you happen to find online you need not apply to based on your ethnicity or gender (Kantrowitz).” Scholarship funds need to be used to support those who have proved the highest level of academic success, not those who could not afford college without financial support. If society is truly equal, then there should be no need to put gender or race requirements on a scholarship. Successful students are the leaders in the future of the work force. In order to have a strong work force, we must have academically strong students.
The main reason that people go to college is to get a good job. College itself does not give anyone a good job; it elevates and distinguishes an individual from a large portion of the work force. What happens when virtually the entire work force has a college degree? No one is set apart; everyone is equal. No one gets the job they want or possibly deserve. If college were reserved for those who deserve it based on academic success, a college degree would be much more valuable. Limiting the amount of students that go onto college would decrease the number of people in the work force with higher education, giving the individuals who do attend college a better chance of landing the jobs they apply for.
Today, 9.4% of college graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed (Mirabella). It is critical to reduce this number not only to better the economy, but also to maintain the integrity of universities nationwide. My one step plan for increasing the percentage of college graduates who get a job and are not underemployed is simple: reduce the amount of people in college. In 2011, almost three quarters of high school graduates applied to at least one college (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Reducing the amount of individuals who attend college would not only reduce the work force pool for jobs that require higher education, but it would allow college standards to be raised. If only the academically elite are accepted into college, there would be less need for extended hours and resources spent for those who struggle academically. Those who struggle academically are in no way unintelligent or incapable, but they should not hold back those who are capable of learning efficiently.
Just because people do not attend a major university does not mean that they should not continue their education past the high school level, it just means that their degree should not be regarded as equal to someone who completes a more rigorous curriculum. One of the reasons that many college students struggle to find a job after college is not because they are unqualified; it is actually just the opposite. Many graduates are over-qualified for the available jobs in today’s market (Emmons). No business owner wants to hire a very intelligent person for a simple job because the educated population demands higher pay for their work. After spending thousands of dollars on a college education, no graduate wants to take a job that pays minimum wage. The inability to match education level with available jobs is partially what created such a large unemployment and underemployment rate. Once my plan is put into action, it will only be a matter of time before the economy picks up. Once this happens, the job market will recover and stabilize, encouraging companies to expand and hire more employees (Blodget). With more employees needed, businesses will hire more individuals with college degrees, thus increasing the opportunities for individuals to attend college. There is no telling exactly how long this would take, but it would ensure jobs for current graduates as well as increase the amount of available jobs for future graduates.
The potential failures of my plan are more social than economical. While some people would not receive the jobs that they desire, and therefore the income that they desire, it is the individual’s fault for not standing out from their peers in earlier education. Because not everyone attends the same high school or has the same teacher, everyone has a different opportunity to succeed. National standards could be made so that all students take the same classes prior to college. There could be a list of classes that must be taken, and no others would be offered. This would theoretically make lower education grades equal, but what about national standards on teachers? It would be nearly impossible to make every teacher use the same methods and lesson plans. Even if a standardized curriculum were made, would this really benefit students looking to specialize in a certain field?
Another possible weakness with my plan would be the process of deciding who does get to go to college. The selection process for colleges could be incredibly political. The selection of students could be based on grades alone, or a mix of grades and extracurricular activities or interviews. Selection based on grades alone would be the most unbiased system. Despite the responsibility of the student, the inequality from school system to school system would affect the chances to earn the privilege to go to college. Lower income areas, for example, typically have sub-par education systems due to school funding and the environment that the students have grown up in. Schools in the small suburbs tend to yield better students. As big cities grow, the student population grows too fast for the schools (Goldstein). Class sizes increase and teachers cannot give individuals the attention that they once could. These schools generally have nicer facilities. Also, the parents of the community generally value the education of their children more than those in lower income cities. Private schools and public schools also vary the education prior to college.
According to a study in 2007, students from private schools overall perform better than public school students. This study showed that the performance had nothing to do with teachers, money, or resources. The socioeconomic environment that they child lives in ultimately is what enhanced performance (Cloud). It is not possible to create the same socioeconomic environment for all students, so there will never be an equal opportunity for all students to succeed.
If only the elite graduate from college, imagine how successful businesses could be. A good business environment would allow more people to be hired and help decrease the unemployment rate for the rest of the population. A properly proportioned work force would stabilize the job market and make it more predictable in the future. As the economy grows, more and more positions that require a college degree would become available, increasing the amount of people that would be admitted to college. My one step plan is incredibly easy to implement. While it is only necessary at the college level, my plan would encourage younger students to strive for excellence in education. Reducing the amount of college students admitted each year would force lower level students to do their best so they too can attend college. While my plan is aimed towards selecting only the best students for college, it would raise the importance of education at all levels and better this nation for years to come.
Society today views everyone as equal and strives to give all individuals the same opportunities. While this sounds enticing and fair, not everyone deserves to go to college. Scholarships are given out to far too many people based on race or gender, not academic success or potential. Colby Bohannan, a leader of the Former Majority Association for Equality, once said “It just got really frustrating when every other scholarship you happen to find online you need not apply to based on your ethnicity or gender (Kantrowitz).” Scholarship funds need to be used to support those who have proved the highest level of academic success, not those who could not afford college without financial support. If society is truly equal, then there should be no need to put gender or race requirements on a scholarship. Successful students are the leaders in the future of the work force. In order to have a strong work force, we must have academically strong students.
The main reason that people go to college is to get a good job. College itself does not give anyone a good job; it elevates and distinguishes an individual from a large portion of the work force. What happens when virtually the entire work force has a college degree? No one is set apart; everyone is equal. No one gets the job they want or possibly deserve. If college were reserved for those who deserve it based on academic success, a college degree would be much more valuable. Limiting the amount of students that go onto college would decrease the number of people in the work force with higher education, giving the individuals who do attend college a better chance of landing the jobs they apply for.
Today, 9.4% of college graduates under the age of 25 are unemployed (Mirabella). It is critical to reduce this number not only to better the economy, but also to maintain the integrity of universities nationwide. My one step plan for increasing the percentage of college graduates who get a job and are not underemployed is simple: reduce the amount of people in college. In 2011, almost three quarters of high school graduates applied to at least one college (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Reducing the amount of individuals who attend college would not only reduce the work force pool for jobs that require higher education, but it would allow college standards to be raised. If only the academically elite are accepted into college, there would be less need for extended hours and resources spent for those who struggle academically. Those who struggle academically are in no way unintelligent or incapable, but they should not hold back those who are capable of learning efficiently.
Just because people do not attend a major university does not mean that they should not continue their education past the high school level, it just means that their degree should not be regarded as equal to someone who completes a more rigorous curriculum. One of the reasons that many college students struggle to find a job after college is not because they are unqualified; it is actually just the opposite. Many graduates are over-qualified for the available jobs in today’s market (Emmons). No business owner wants to hire a very intelligent person for a simple job because the educated population demands higher pay for their work. After spending thousands of dollars on a college education, no graduate wants to take a job that pays minimum wage. The inability to match education level with available jobs is partially what created such a large unemployment and underemployment rate. Once my plan is put into action, it will only be a matter of time before the economy picks up. Once this happens, the job market will recover and stabilize, encouraging companies to expand and hire more employees (Blodget). With more employees needed, businesses will hire more individuals with college degrees, thus increasing the opportunities for individuals to attend college. There is no telling exactly how long this would take, but it would ensure jobs for current graduates as well as increase the amount of available jobs for future graduates.
The potential failures of my plan are more social than economical. While some people would not receive the jobs that they desire, and therefore the income that they desire, it is the individual’s fault for not standing out from their peers in earlier education. Because not everyone attends the same high school or has the same teacher, everyone has a different opportunity to succeed. National standards could be made so that all students take the same classes prior to college. There could be a list of classes that must be taken, and no others would be offered. This would theoretically make lower education grades equal, but what about national standards on teachers? It would be nearly impossible to make every teacher use the same methods and lesson plans. Even if a standardized curriculum were made, would this really benefit students looking to specialize in a certain field?
Another possible weakness with my plan would be the process of deciding who does get to go to college. The selection process for colleges could be incredibly political. The selection of students could be based on grades alone, or a mix of grades and extracurricular activities or interviews. Selection based on grades alone would be the most unbiased system. Despite the responsibility of the student, the inequality from school system to school system would affect the chances to earn the privilege to go to college. Lower income areas, for example, typically have sub-par education systems due to school funding and the environment that the students have grown up in. Schools in the small suburbs tend to yield better students. As big cities grow, the student population grows too fast for the schools (Goldstein). Class sizes increase and teachers cannot give individuals the attention that they once could. These schools generally have nicer facilities. Also, the parents of the community generally value the education of their children more than those in lower income cities. Private schools and public schools also vary the education prior to college.
According to a study in 2007, students from private schools overall perform better than public school students. This study showed that the performance had nothing to do with teachers, money, or resources. The socioeconomic environment that they child lives in ultimately is what enhanced performance (Cloud). It is not possible to create the same socioeconomic environment for all students, so there will never be an equal opportunity for all students to succeed.
If only the elite graduate from college, imagine how successful businesses could be. A good business environment would allow more people to be hired and help decrease the unemployment rate for the rest of the population. A properly proportioned work force would stabilize the job market and make it more predictable in the future. As the economy grows, more and more positions that require a college degree would become available, increasing the amount of people that would be admitted to college. My one step plan is incredibly easy to implement. While it is only necessary at the college level, my plan would encourage younger students to strive for excellence in education. Reducing the amount of college students admitted each year would force lower level students to do their best so they too can attend college. While my plan is aimed towards selecting only the best students for college, it would raise the importance of education at all levels and better this nation for years to come.
Bibliography.
Blodget, Henry. "Business Insider." Business Insider. (2012): n. page. Web. 28 Nov. 2012.
<http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-fix-the-economy-in-one-simple-chart-2012-8>.
"Bureau of Labor Statistics." Bureau of Labor Statistics. n. page. Web. <http://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm>.
"Bureau of Labor Statistics." Bureau of Labor Statistics. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000>.
Emmons, Nick. "Fox 31." Fox 31. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://kdvr.com/2012/05/17/project-jobs-problems-overqualified- job-seekers-face/>.
Goldstein, Dana. "Slate." Slate. (2012): n. page. Print. <http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/06 /29/american_cities_growing_faster_than_suburbs_good_for_our_schools_and_our_kids.html>.
Kantrowitz, Mark. "Student Aid Policy Analysis." Student Aid Policy Analysis. (2011): n. page. Print.
Mirabella, Lorraine. "The Baltimore Sun." Baltimore Sun. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-05-12 /business/bs-bz-jobs-college-grads- 20120512_1_college-grads-graduates-job-market>.
"NFIB." NFIB. n. page. Print. <http://www.nfib.com/research-foundation/surveys/small-business-economic-trends>.
"The Project on Student Debt." Project on Student Debt. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://projectonstudentdebt.org/state_by_state-data.php>.
"USA Today." USA Today. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2012/10/18/student- debt-increases-again/1639907/>
Yen, Hope. "Huffington Post." Huffington Post. (2012): n. page. Print.<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/22/job-market- college-graduates_n_1443738.html>.
Cloud, John. “Time.” Are Private Schools Really Better? (2007): n. page. Web.<http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0
<http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-fix-the-economy-in-one-simple-chart-2012-8>.
"Bureau of Labor Statistics." Bureau of Labor Statistics. n. page. Web. <http://www.bls.gov/news.release/hsgec.nr0.htm>.
"Bureau of Labor Statistics." Bureau of Labor Statistics. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000>.
Emmons, Nick. "Fox 31." Fox 31. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://kdvr.com/2012/05/17/project-jobs-problems-overqualified- job-seekers-face/>.
Goldstein, Dana. "Slate." Slate. (2012): n. page. Print. <http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/06 /29/american_cities_growing_faster_than_suburbs_good_for_our_schools_and_our_kids.html>.
Kantrowitz, Mark. "Student Aid Policy Analysis." Student Aid Policy Analysis. (2011): n. page. Print.
Mirabella, Lorraine. "The Baltimore Sun." Baltimore Sun. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-05-12 /business/bs-bz-jobs-college-grads- 20120512_1_college-grads-graduates-job-market>.
"NFIB." NFIB. n. page. Print. <http://www.nfib.com/research-foundation/surveys/small-business-economic-trends>.
"The Project on Student Debt." Project on Student Debt. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.
<http://projectonstudentdebt.org/state_by_state-data.php>.
"USA Today." USA Today. n. page. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2012/10/18/student- debt-increases-again/1639907/>
Yen, Hope. "Huffington Post." Huffington Post. (2012): n. page. Print.<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/22/job-market- college-graduates_n_1443738.html>.
Cloud, John. “Time.” Are Private Schools Really Better? (2007): n. page. Web.<http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0
Reflection.
As our last individual project of the semester, our class was to write a proposal. A proposal presents a problem and can offer a solution, or just raise awareness for the issue. Every person was to use their PSA prompt as a general topic for their proposal. The election of Mitch Daniels as Purdue University’s twelfth president was my PSA topic, so I wrote my essay about leadership in academics. After thinking about specific problems in academic leadership that affect society, I honed in on the lack of jobs for recent college graduates. This may not seem like a problem to be fixed by universities, but it could be.
I wanted to not only present a problem, but offer a solution as well. The goal of my proposal was to describe how universities could help decrease the unemployment rate for recent graduates. It was crucial that I find data to support all of my views, and this was actually quite easy. The government releases statistics such as unemployment rates with certain age and education stipulations. I was also able to find out how many high school students apply to and are accepted by colleges in the United States. The plan I created to reduce unemployment for young graduates is to limit the amount of people accepted into college so that there are fewer people for jobs that require higher education. This would reduce competition between for people who are successful academically.
Overall, I am pleased with my proposal. The problem presented in my writing is a relevant and important issue, especially to a college student like myself. I think that I sufficiently developed the five stages of a proposal and offered a practical and efficient solution, even if it may be somewhat satirical. The points that supported my thesis were all backed up by credible sources as well. I feel as if I completed the Proposal Essay and covered every aspect necessary.
There are a few issues I have with my proposal. The main issue is the identification of my audience. Addressing the correct audience, a group that could relate to and possibly solve your problem, is crucial to have a successful proposal. My audience is essentially anyone who will ever go to college and want a job later in life. Unfortunately, this is almost everybody, at least in America. The effectiveness of a proposal can increase dramatically when a specific audience is determined because the tone, language, and points of emphasis can be tailored to fit the needs or desires of the selected audience. I wish I could have narrowed down the group of people that I wanted to share my plan with. I did try to narrow my audience down during writing, but I found that the individuals effected and the individuals in a position to carry out my plan were two different groups of people.
I wanted to not only present a problem, but offer a solution as well. The goal of my proposal was to describe how universities could help decrease the unemployment rate for recent graduates. It was crucial that I find data to support all of my views, and this was actually quite easy. The government releases statistics such as unemployment rates with certain age and education stipulations. I was also able to find out how many high school students apply to and are accepted by colleges in the United States. The plan I created to reduce unemployment for young graduates is to limit the amount of people accepted into college so that there are fewer people for jobs that require higher education. This would reduce competition between for people who are successful academically.
Overall, I am pleased with my proposal. The problem presented in my writing is a relevant and important issue, especially to a college student like myself. I think that I sufficiently developed the five stages of a proposal and offered a practical and efficient solution, even if it may be somewhat satirical. The points that supported my thesis were all backed up by credible sources as well. I feel as if I completed the Proposal Essay and covered every aspect necessary.
There are a few issues I have with my proposal. The main issue is the identification of my audience. Addressing the correct audience, a group that could relate to and possibly solve your problem, is crucial to have a successful proposal. My audience is essentially anyone who will ever go to college and want a job later in life. Unfortunately, this is almost everybody, at least in America. The effectiveness of a proposal can increase dramatically when a specific audience is determined because the tone, language, and points of emphasis can be tailored to fit the needs or desires of the selected audience. I wish I could have narrowed down the group of people that I wanted to share my plan with. I did try to narrow my audience down during writing, but I found that the individuals effected and the individuals in a position to carry out my plan were two different groups of people.