Eric Hoover College Value

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Pages: 4

In his article, “College’s Value Goes Deeper Than the Degree, Graduates Say,” Eric Hoover, a senior writer for the Chronicle of Higher Education, discusses the benefits of college that go beyond academia. He is responding to those guilty of “scholastic skepticism,” those who question if college is worth the price tag. Hoover successfully argues his point, strengthening his argument by using data from a dignified research center as well as multiple testimonials from graduates with careers not related to their degrees. He begins his article by addressing the naysayers, those who question college’s value to a student. Hoover even concedes that college is a big-ticket price, getting those who do not think college is worthwhile to actually listen to him. He then goes on to the statistics. Stating that eighty-four percent of graduates thought college was a good investment, Hoover shows the potential naysayers that college is not strictly about academics. Hoover continues by introducing Evan Bloom, a graduate from the University of …show more content…
Knecht graduated with a degree in speech communications in 1982 from the University of Virginia and recalls public speaking as “basic, fundamental training” and that “[her] classes helped [her] recognize the importance of listening, effective negotiating, and [entering] new situations,” something her job requires of her frequently. Ultimately, the classes she took in college are what helped her in her position today. Using Ms. Knecht as an example, Hoover pinpoints a key benefit of college: communication skills. Because college students must communicate with other college students and their instructors, they naturally emerge from college with more effective speaking and listening skills, benefiting them in the workforce and outside