Preview

Analysis Of An Open Letter To Ninth Graders By Patrick Sullivan

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
780 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Analysis Of An Open Letter To Ninth Graders By Patrick Sullivan
Being Successful In Education
Every year new students begin their first year of college and transition into the most important academic step of their lives. Within the first week, teachers can create their opinion of whether or not a student seems ready for college. In the article, An Open Letter to Ninth Graders, Patrick Sullivan states that there is an “exception gap between the skills students are typically bringing into college and what teachers like [him] think students should be bringing with them to college.” Throughout the writing, Sullivan mentions that without “college readiness skills” you are not going to be prepared for college. In my opinion, how academically involved a student wants to be in his/her education is what determines
…show more content…
1). Sullivan discusses the topic of preparing for college and aims his discussion towards high school freshman and college students. The students he has found prepared enough for college had no difficulty reading materials of multiple ranges and subjects since they “loved to read” (pp. 1). Furthermore, students that are prepared know that exemplary writing takes exemplary effort, and they come willing to comprehend, study, converse, and evaluate their written works. Additionally, listening and thinking influences the different ideas that we can develop; this can affect our self-development and mental capabilities, which can increase opportunities for further engagement.
Sullivan further states that vital qualities, such as grit, play a grander role in college readiness; due to the fact that perseverance, self-discipline, and passion are essential to create strong intellectual potentials. As well, any young adult is eventually given unlimited freedom; no control for this freedom given in college develops no maturity and no positive direction for the student. Without maturity, a moral attitude towards college and education will usually not develop in the manner that a prepared and successful student’s attitude
…show more content…
College readiness is not determined by a set of skills; rather it is determined by how academically involved a student wants to be in his/her education. He states that, “students who are ready for college like to read. If you don’t like to read, you are going to find college very difficult” (pp. 1). In my experience, by coming to college and wanting to be more involved in my education, I realized that college is actually simple and that my increased involvement also has been leading me to be college ready and successful. In college I wanted to be more academically involved and by doing so I realized how I became more organized, gained a habit of completing many assignments before due dates, and could notice how my grades were very much improved. In addition, the author states, “If you don’t love to read you will probably be confused and frustrated while at college” (pp. 2). In my first week of college my reading assignments consisted of hundreds of pages that had to be read in the same week. Even when reading without the love to do so, the assignments never created any irritation. Never in my life have I enjoyed reading, or have understood how someone enjoys reading. Nonetheless, I have completed every assignment because of how it would be a significant factor in my

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Attending college can be intimidating, but it can be exciting also. In addition to the formal education a good school offers, it is also a time to learn some important life skills. It isn't always easy to strike a balance when you live...…

    • 451 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    S15 GEN 102 syllabus

    • 2682 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Presents strategies which promote academic and personal success in college, including utilizing campus resources, learning and memory, self-management, critical reading, critical thinking, classroom skills, and career exploration, and job interview skills.…

    • 2682 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    "Each fall more than 3 million high school graduates begin their studies at more than 4,000 American colleges"(Pg.2), some people are able to adjust and some aren't, but what is the best way to enhance your college readiness? The transition can be very tedious for most people, if you attended College, how long did it take you to become comfortable in your studies? In the book, “The Transition to College Writing,” it references the two main characters Eduardo and Maria, in regards to their similarities and differences of lifestyle, cultural, ethnicity, and life experiences relating to their high school and college educational experiences as students.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    After reading the article “Reading and Writing in College” by Kim Flachmann, I completely agree with Flachmann’s argument on the importance of reading and writing skills for college students along with those who are in the work force. In the article, Flachmann expresses the value of reading and writing skills by writing that they are “necessary for surviving both in college and on the job” (Flachmann, 2014). My agreement with Flachmann’s argument is based on the activities that a college student and a worker face on a daily basis since they revolve around those skills. For a college student, these skills are essential in order to get through college. When it comes to the reading and writing skills, a college student is expected to not only…

    • 238 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In Colleges Prepare People for Life by Charles Murray, it is argued that college prepares people for a job after graduation, but above a career, it prepares people to achieve a successful life. An excellent, satisfying job is only the beginning of the benefits that college may offer. Individuals because of college are faced with countless possibilities compared to those who never attend.…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Students should look at the positive aspects of being in college and getting an education. Being in college and getting an education is important, because a lot of jobs require a degree. Positive motivation in working toward one’s goal is also a good virtue to practice while accomplishing an educational goal. Discipline and patience can also play a big role in accomplishing goals and staying on track to get a well-rounded education.…

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    By Murray focusing on the assumption that the target group is 18 year olds fresh out of high school, Murray overlooks an important and ever growing group of students, which are the non-traditional students. Many of these students have not been in school in years, maybe only had a few years of high school, or like me had no high school at all and received a G.E.D. instead. Therefore, these students are missing valuable skills that are an asset for a college student such as writing and studying skills. As a non-traditional student and after reading Charles Murrays’ article and analyzing his thoughts and opinions on these young students, I can’t help but wonder what his thoughts and opinions are of us. Do we even fit within his narrow sights? Do we have a right to be here? These are a few of the questions that I would like for Murray to address, but since he doesn’t even consider that there are other age groups enrolled in college then we will have to wait until he realizes his…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lee described how her child grew up and “graduated” on time (par. 14). In her motherly aspect, this is positive; however, kids grow to be mature at different rates and the further mature kids do have an easier time succeeding in college. The mature college kids do not think of college as a time to beige drink, oversleep, or drive recklessly as individuals may label the college experience (par 10).…

    • 652 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    I Just Wanna Be Average

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A student’s success is hard to define because every individual has different ideas of what is success. Students usually think of success as getting a passing grade, but the schools could define it as students getting a high GPA, and a good citizenship grade, along with a lot of other standards. But schooling, let alone education, shouldn’t be focused on grades. Rather, it should be based on the life lessons learned from the subjects taught. Life lessons could include study habits, confidence to participate, and being punctual to class or job meetings in the future. A student’s success also can’t be forced by any type of authority and should be approached from a less traditional angle. The students are primarily responsible for their success…

    • 1426 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A student is required to complete at least one of these courses every year, regardless if they already meet the requirements to graduate. While these classes are necessary for the first two or three years of high school, should they continue to remain so throughout the rest of a student’s education? The last year or two of high school should be devoted to developing a student’s interests. If a student aspires to become an author, editor, or literature professor, then English, literature, and creative writing would be their focus.…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    [References are in alphabetical order. Please see file posted in Course Materials providing examples of citations. You can reuse this paper weekly as a template by changing the necessary information. Remove this paragraph from this…

    • 265 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Students around the country are not being prepared for college. They enter college not fully aware they weren’t prepared for the intensity of college level work. Many students have to take remedial classes due to their high school classes not having them ready for the next level. Another reason students aren’t prepared is they haven’t taken the required amount of classes needed for college, some high schools require less of the core classes than most colleges require. Schools also forgetting colleges want independent thinkers. The main focus in high schools is the admission process and the development of students’ thinking abilities are forgotten about. The schools doing well in preparing their students, encourage the students to take college…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Many students go to college with the sole intention to get their degree, become employed, and earn a higher salary. Students with these intentions tend to struggle more throughout their college years. Students go to college because they obtain skills and characteristics that employers find desirable. These skills and characteristics also allow them to function in society. Making the leap from high school classrooms to college campuses can be difficult for many students simply because college professors expect so much more inside and outside of the classroom. Students who go to college are expected to be self-sufficient from the day they get there. At the collegiate level, students should come to class ready to participate, engage in the course…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is very important to attend college as it provides many advantages and opportunities. For some, continuing education past high school is a scary thought. More course work, adjusting and fitting into a new environment and finding out how to take care of the forever rising cost of tuition expenses can be very intimidating and stressful for young adolescents. Students may begin to ask themselves what’s the importance of a college education. However, in todays economy the importance of a college education cannot be measured. The benefits of college far outweigh the stress. By going to college one could achieve a higher education, better employment opportunities, increased wages, better health, personal growth and help diversify one’s way of…

    • 1014 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    College Readiness System

    • 5622 Words
    • 161 Pages

    College readiness is one of seven national education priorities (U. S. Department of Education, 2000). Meanwhile, according to McCabe (2000) in a national study of community college education, 41% percent of entering community college students and 29% of all entering college students are underprepared in at least one of the basic skills of reading, writing, and math. Since the 1980s, colleges have increasingly required placement testing to determine college readiness and offered or required developmental or remedial education for students placing below college level (Amey & Long, 1998; King, Rasool, & Judge, 1994). While…

    • 5622 Words
    • 161 Pages
    Powerful Essays