T-Chart for "Is college worth it?" Opinion by William J. Bennett and David Wilezol

Pros

Cons

-          LOGOS: Before deciding whether or not college is the right choice, it is important to make an honest assessment of a student’s ability and inclination to do college-level work. -          LOGOS: If a student can get into a highly ranked school, it is probably worth it to go there, even if she has to borrow money -          LOGOS: Secondly, it is important for students to consider the probable financial impact of their course of study -          LOGOS: Students need to make smart decisions about their capacity for academic work, the job prospects for their major, and how they will pay for their education

-          ETHOS: Federal Reserve has estimated that the current nationwide amount of student debt is over $1 trillion. -          PATHOS: found that approximately 50 percent of the class of 2011 was either unemployed or underemployed. As a result, many recent graduates are putting off getting married, starting families and buying homes. -          LOGOS: Too often, unchallenging or novelty academics, such as courses on Lady Gaga, have replaced rigorous learning in the traditional liberal arts and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. -          PATHOS: Additionally, most college campuses have an unabashedly liberal political orientation, and are rife with binge drinking, illegal drug use and the degrading “hook-up” culture. -          LOGOS: If a student has real doubts about whether he can commit to four years of papers, tests and class time, he shouldn’t go.