Education Opinion Assessment Questions

"Is college worth it? Is this even the right question?"

Part A: Which statement identifies the central idea of the text?

• Many college graduates lack valuable skills, job placement, and democratic engagement when they emerge from school

• A college education is worth the cost; graduates generally make more money and are less likely to be unemployed than high school graduates.

• Colleges have become more concerned with making money from the tuition that students pay than with helping students learn the skills that employers value.

• A college education is less important than developing the skills that employers look for in workers: good written and verbal communication and problems solving skills.

"Is college worth it? Is this even the right question?"

Part B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "And even though the recent recession was difficult for everyone, the Current Population Survey indicates that in 2011, twice as many young adults without college degrees were unemployed as young college graduates." (Paragraph 3)

• "The average growth observed in our study is half of what was observed when growth on similar measures was assessed in earlier decades." (Paragraph 14)

• "In addition to failing to facilitate the development of general collegiate skills for many students, colleges often do not, according to our research, provide adequate institutional support towards apprenticeships, internships, mentoring opportunities and job placement services." (Paragraph 19)

• "The number of clubs and student organizations on any four-year campus is astounding, encouraging a high level of participation in a range of local and global issues." (Paragraph 23)

"Is college worth it? Is this even the right question?"

Which of the following describes the authors' main purpose in the text?

• to prove that a college education isn't worth the cost, as many graduates don't find fulltime work or make a decent wage

• to show how college graduates might not be developing the skills or receiving the resources to reach their full potential after school

• to compare how much money college graduates make with how much high school graduates make

• to show students how they can make the most of their time in college by developing certain skills and talking to faculty

"Is college worth it? Is this even the right question?"

What connection does the author draw between high CLA scores and success after college?

• College graduates who send their CLA scores to employers are more likely to get an interview, as they suggest high intelligence.

• College graduates with high CLA scores are naturally more intelligent than students with low scores, making them more desirable to employers.

• College graduates who improve their CLA scores during school show their drive and willingness to better themselves, which leads to greater success in adult life.

• College graduates with high CLA scores are more likely to be employed and in skilled positions, as they have the skills that are valued in the job market.

"Will the 'right' college major get you a job?"

PART A: Which statement best expresses the central idea of the text?

• Having a college degree isn't valuable right now, as there are few jobs that actually require people to have a degree.

• It's difficult to measure the long-term financial payoffs that certain majors will yield, which is why it's best to choose majors based on your interests and strengths.

• Students should focus on occupation-specific majors, as they're more likely to be placed into jobs immediately after graduating.

• While liberal art degrees don't prepare students for a specific job, they give widely applicable skills that all employers value.

"Will the 'right' major get you a job?" PART B: Which detail from the text best supports the answer to Part A?

• "He points out, however, that the 'college wage premium,' the difference between the annual and lifetime earnings of college graduates and those who do not have an undergraduate degree, has been volatile in the United States over time." (Paragraph 7)

• "51% in business, 55% in the liberal arts, 56% in communications and 56% in leisure and hospitality were in jobs where a bachelor's degree was not required!" (Paragraph 12)

• "Currently derided by proponents of a more 'practical' curriculum, the liberal arts, he writes, 'may make the greatest intellectual and learning demands on students of any field.'" (Paragraph 20)

• "But the relationship between the choice of a specific institution and a major and a lucrative and fulfilling first job and career is complicated. It has lots of moving parts." (Paragraph 23)

"Will the 'right' college major get you a job?"

What is the author's overall purpose in the text?

• to encourage students to go to college to chase their passion, rather than get a job

• to criticize colleges for not helping students locate jobs after they leave college

• to suggest that students consider alternatives to college, as there's no guarantee that it'll pay of

• to show how there is no proven path through college that guarantees a high-paying job

"Will the 'right' college major get you a job?

• The author shows how the earning gap between people with degrees and people without has varied over time, and will likely diminish in the future.

• B. The author describes how people without degrees have begun to earn closer to those with degrees as they enter programs that prepare them for a specific job.

• The author emphasizes how there will be little to no wage gap between what those with college degrees and those without earn, as the job market becomes more competitive

• The author shows how the earning gap between people with degrees and people without is widening as employers become more desperate for skilled workers.

"On Education of Youth in America?" PART A: In paragraph 9 of "On the Education of Youth in America," how does the quotation, "The constitutions are republican, and the laws of education are monarchical" reinforce Webster's point of view on education?

• It indicates that the type of education students are receiving poorly prepares them for government service.

• It asserts that schools should emphasize the merits of the U.S. political system over those of other systems.

• It emphasizes that the current education laws are contrary to the country's form of government.

• It describes the educational opportunities shared by wealthy students and poor students.

"On the Education of Youth in America" PART B: Which quotation best supports the answer to Part A?

• "Such a system of education as gives every citizen an opportunity of acquiring knowledge" (Paragraph 7)

• "The former extend civil rights to every honest industrious man; the latter deprive a large proportion of the citizens of a most valuable privilege." (Paragraph 10)

• "submission to superiors and to laws; the moral or social duties; the history and transactions of their own country; the principles of liberty and government." (Paragraph 17)

• "How competent must such men be to decide an important point in legislation!" (Paragraph 20)