Exploration Three: Andrea Carwile

1.) High School and college are two extremely different environments. I've learned that very quickly this year. I am currently taking two OSUM classes and two high school AP classes. The AP courses I am taking are supposed to prepare me for college, but I have found that they aren't quite meeting college standards. I have come to realize that my AP classes are simply just more high school classes with a higher weight. So with that being said, college has been a slap in the face for me. What I used to be able to get away with is no longer acceptable in college. I have learned that if you actually want to succeed in what you do, you must work your absolute hardest. In my two college classes, I feel I have been able to follow along with the discussions and occasionally become active in the conversations (something I was not likely to do before these classes). This literacy event has showed me that there will always be transitions in life. Some, like this change, will catch you very quickly and take you by surprise. However, you have to tackle each change with your entire potential in order in succeed.
2.) Issues of Policy are inquiries that suggest whether or not action should be taken on a certain issues. Often times terms like "should" will be incorporated in the question in order to suggest that there needs to be action taken against the subject. I think that this type of issue allows us to address large issues that we face in every day life and then decide what type of action should be taken against the topic.
3.) Should college tuition be lowered? As a senior in high school, I can't help but think about what my next step in life will be. I am positive I want to go to college, but for what? Where do I want to go? How much am I willing to spend on an education? What scholarship options do I have? I believe that if I wasn't so worried about the cost of college, I would have made up my mind as to where I want to attend by now. I am so preoccupied with the financial aspect of college that I can't even pretend to think about what I want to do in terms of a career. With that being said, I believe college tuition should be lowered. Not only is it affecting my situation, but it is affecting nearly every other senior in high school all around the United States. We want to go to college, but being able to actually afford it is such a problem. This issue of policy is being fought all over the United States. Yes, we are a nation that believes you have to work to be successful. Yes, there are scholarships available. Yes, college students are able to receive government aid. But no, we still aren't able to afford our college educations. I have been offered a $14,000 scholarship per year at a school simply for scoring a 26 on my ACT. The problem is that doesn't even cover half of my tuition. There is no guarantee that I will be able to find any other types of scholarship for my education and because of that, the school that offered me a large amount of money still isn't a great option for me. A summary of that portion of writing would be that college is just too expensive. Some of the brightest people in this world may not be able to further their education because they are unable to afford the
price of tuition and that isn't fair. Everyone should have the right to go to the school they want to without the worry of being able to afford it.

Reasoning for why college tuition has become unaffordable