Question

In an essay, a student argues that going straight into the workforce after graduating from high school rather than attending college is the best option for all recent high school graduates. In a source, the student finds this counterclaim to her argument made by a researcher on college success: "individuals with only high school diplomas were significantly less likely to get jobs immediately after graduation. Most high school students needed to apply for at least twenty jobs before they were hired. College graduates only needed to apply for eight jobs before they were hired."

Respond to this counterclaim from the point of view of the student arguing for the recent high school graduates to go into the workforce. Be sure to respond to this specific counterclaim with fairness and empathy. Use a style that is appropriate to the audience and purpose of this argument. (15 points)

Answer 1

I think you current graduates should go into the work force because it helps you more then college and ready you for life and I have a big experience myself going to a D1 University wasn’t the best because it was still a higher level of school and very hard to where I couldn’t keep up but going into the work force I had good help and learned a lot about life not just one thing and I learned everything that’s important on how to live after high school when your not with your parents and I think it’s the best choice I made

Answer 2

Although it is true that "individuals with only high school diplomas (are) significantly less likely to get jobs inmmediately after graduation...," the fact remains that allowing recently graduated high-school students into the workforce presents benefits not just for the student, but also for the workforce, as it is shown that hands-on experience helps the student mature and may also make him even more capable of making better decisions in future regarding profession and future job choices.

In fact, even though students should be encouraged to go all the way in their educational pathway, it is undeniable that hands-on experience after high school, experiencing what it is like to live in the adult world, through work, can mature a person, make him more responsible for his choices, and make him better aware of the decisions he/she needs to make to improve his life. Working is also another form of educational experience, and if managed correctly, and without encouraging students to leave their formal education aside in favor of menial jobs, it could lead to more secure, and more responsible college students and professionals in future.