Should college students stay at home? (very short version)

Posted on April 14, 2012 by Mr Writefix

Many university students live with their families while others need to live away from home because their universities are in different cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages in both situations?

Is university just a place to get a piece of paper? Or can it be a place to grow personally and academically? This essay will explain why it’s better for most students to move away from home.

Living at home while studying has many advantages. It’s more comfortable than student accommodation. Rent and laundry are free, and there’s no need to cook. Your favorite DVDs are still in your old room, with the Justin Bieber posters and the Hello Kitty collection from when you were nine. The same old friends live nearby, although fewer because some have gone to college now.

Yes, your new college friends across the city are cold and penniless. But they sit in cafes for hours discussing politics and playing guitar and talking to that cute Korean student. The dorms are noisy, but there are always new people to meet. Some of your new college friends have signed up with a Japanese conversation club; others are going abseiling soon. While you snooze on the long uncomfortable bus ride home, they are working together in the library on next week’s assignment. While you sit with your mother watching television watching, they are exploring clubs and giggling during poetry readings.

Clearly, college is about more than a certificate. It’s about learning – not just academically, but about other people and the way you view the world. It doesn’t mean forgetting your old life, but it does mean opening up to new ideas and new experiences. Give it a try! You can always go home at the weekend!

258 words, 19 sentences, 13.5 words per sentence. This essay has exactly the same ideas and structure as a much longer essay (413 words) here.

Should college students stay at home? (Very long version)

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Mr Writefix

Many university students live with their families while others need to live away from home because their universities are in different cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages in both situations?

Is university simply a place you go for a few hours a day to get a piece of paper? Or is it a place where you grow and change intellectually, socially, and emotionally? In this essay I will explain why I think it’s much better for most students to move away from home when they are in college.

Living at home while studying has many advantages. It’s generally more comfortable than college dorms or student accommodation. You have free laundry, free food, and free rent. There’s no need to learn to cook: your mother knows exactly how you like your Milo. You can keep watching your favorite cartoons and television programs, the same ones you watched while in kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school. You have your own room, so you don’t have to worry about your stuff, and you can enjoy the same posters that you had on your wall when you were 6, and 10, and 14. In addition, you have the same friends you had then, and the same games and social life as you did back when you were a girl guide. Your Hello Kitty collection is there, along with a tooth you lost when you were six and the the pyjamas that your embarrassing aunt bought for you on your 14th birthday.

Meanwhile your new college friends far away on the other side of the city may be cold and penniless, but they are sitting in cafes for hours discussing history or politics and playing guitar and talking to that cute Korean guy from the same class. Their beds are small and the dorms are noisy, but there are always new people to meet and new clubs to join. Some of your new college friends have signed up with a Japanese conversation club; others are going abseiling this weekend. And they seem to get more study done too: when you are snoozing on the long bus ride back to your parents’ place, they are in a big group in the library or the canteen finishing next week’s assignment. While you sit with your mother watching television and talking about your day, they are off exploring clubs and giggling during poetry readings.

Clearly, college is about more than the grade at the end. It’s about learning – not just academic learning, but learning about yourself and other people and the way you view the world. It doesn’t mean forgetting your family and friends, but it does mean opening up to new ideas, new experiences and new people. Give it a try! You can always go home at the weekend!

431 words, 20.5 average words per sentence. Very long for IELTS, and with far too many words per sentence on average. Have a look at the same essay, with the same ideas and structure, but in 258 words here.

Should bright students be taught separately? (1)

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Is it fair to students to have different abilities in one classroom?

In some schools, students are divided into classes with different levels of ability. In other school systems, students are taught together, regardless of ability. In this essay, I will discuss if students benefit from being educated together.

In many countries, students are educated together regardless of ability for a variety of reasons. Political correctness is one: some policymakers believe that ‘equality’ and ‘fairness’ are more important than meeting the needs of individual students. Another reason is ease of administration. Schools just randomly assign teachers and students to classes. The results, however, are that bright students are bored because they are not challenged. Weaker students stay weak and demotivated, and the country is deprived of the opportunity to create an elite group of students in arts, engineering or other disciplines who will go on to excel in university.

There are some arguments for educating students of different ability together. One claim is that students will learn to cooperate with other students of different abilities. It’s also suggested that few students are good at everything: they can learn from being in classes with students with different skills. These situations are similar to work and real life. However, the main reason against having separate classes is often political: some people fear that it leads to the development of an elite or favored group, with weaker students or schools being left with inferior teachers and fewer resources.

In conclusion, instead of being an educational debate about how to serve students well, it is often a political one. We need to find out which system works best for our students and give them the best chance to succeed.

How many subjects in secondary school?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Mr Writefix

In some countries, secondary education focuses in depth on two or three subjects, while in others students take a large number of subjects. Which system do you think is better?

If you had a medical problem, would you rather go to a specialist or to a general practitioner? There are times when both are needed. In this essay, I will discuss whether studying a wide range of subjects is better than concentrating on one or two areas.

First of all, it’s not surprising that many countries have opted for secondary school systems with a large number of subjects. For one thing, having many subjects helps young people to become more balanced They learn about the world through science, art, music, literature, sport, cooking, woodwork, design, or computing, and they learn skills in each area. A second point is that there is plenty of time to specialize. Now that more people go on to college and futher degrees, there is no need to begin to concentrate too early. In addition, specialization does not allow people to change. As we grow, our tastes may change, and someone who is interested in math at 12 years may suddenly prefer to study music when she is 17.

However, many countries prefer fewer skills in secondary school. In the UK for example, students take only a couple of subjects at A level. This can have several advantages. First of all, it leads to excellence in each subject. Students can learn much more than when they are taking 9 or 10 subjects. Secondly, it makes it easier for students to get into university and to do well. The student already knows the subject in depth, and does not have to make difficult choices. But an important point to remember is that studying one or two subjects in depth does not mean students know nothing about other topics. Doing A-Level chemistry does not mean that you cannot play the violin or excel in Russian.

In my opinion, students should be able to choose between these two options. For some, a wide range of subjects is a better choice, but for others, it’s more interesting to dig deep and specialize in only one or two areas. I believe it depends on the student’s personality, and while most students are adaptable, one or other approach will suit most students better.

Should boys and girls attend college together?

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Should male and female students be allowed to study together in college? What are some of the possible problems and benefits of studying separately or together?

In some colleges in the UAE, men and women are educated together. However, in most colleges, male and female students study separately. In this essay I will ask if having men and women together in class is always a good thing.

There are some reasons why male and female students should be educated separately. First of all, one reason why it’s good to teach them separately is because men and women think differently. If they are taught in the same class, the men or women may not understand the topic fully. Another reason that some people give is that young men and women will not be able to concentrate on their studies. They claim that the students will be focusing on each other instead of learning. Finally, some people say that women suffer in mixed environments. The women don’t get heard as much and the women’s participation drops.

However, there are many strong reasons why college should be coeducational. In the first place, it’s good preparation for the real world. When people start working, they will work side-by-side with women. Secondly, it allows us to learn different ways of thinking. Men and women have complementary learning styles, and the result can be better project work. Finally, while it’s true that young men and women will be interested in each other, this does not mean that their grades will suffer or they they will stop concentrating: In fact, they may even be more interested in college.

In conclusion, although some people are afraid that educating men and women together can lead to lower grades, especially for women, I believe it will be better for work and make college more enjoyable. If we allow our students to learn together, the result will be better graduates, workers and partners.

Universities and rural areas (short)

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Shorter version – 241 words – of the essay at http://writefix.com/blog/?p=213!

Not many young people living in rural areas have access to university education. Universities should make it easier for people from rural areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Most top universities are located in big cities. However, millions of people still live in villages and small towns, far from the city. How can they get a good university education? In this essay, I will say why I think universities must serve rural as well as urban students.

We don’t need to build big colleges in every rural area. First of all, it would be too expensive. It’s better and more efficient to locate universities in cities because thousands of students can use them. Secondly, small campuses would lack resources and would be boring. They would not offer many courses, and the staff might not be the best available. A third point is that rural students and urban students should mix and learn from each other. They should not be separate.

In fact, there are many better ways to help rural students. First of all, they may need money. People working on farms may be poor and unable to afford fees and accommodation. The college can help by reducing fees and housing costs. Second, using technology can really help. Even in rural areas, many people have internet or email, and can take courses this way. Thirdly, first or second year courses can be given in the countryside, and students can then transfer to finish.

In conclusion, since universities are usually funded by the government, they should serve all the people, not just the city students. Everybody deserves access to education.

Universities and rural areas (long)

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Not many young people living in rural areas have access to university education. Universities should make it easier for people from rural areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Now that the majority of the world’s population live in cities, it’s easy to forget that millions still live in the countryside, far from most of the world’s prestigious schools and colleges. In this essay, I will suggest how universities can make it easier for students living far from cities to receive a good education.

It’s not necessarily a good thing for colleges to open physical campuses in rural areas. First of all, land costs money, and building labs, libraries and research units is eye-wateringly expensive. Secondly there is the problem of staff. Not all university staff will be able or will want to relocate to small towns or villages far from their colleagues. A third issue is inefficiency. A tiny campus in a rural area may only serve a few hundred students, compared to extensive facilities for thousands of students in a city. In addition, students in a small campus may miss the interaction and atmosphere of a larger city university.

However, there are many ways to facilitate third level education outside the cities. For one thing, there are many technological solutions. Radio and television have long been used to extend the reach of education, and now almost all bricks-and-mortar universities offer some form of distance education via email or the internet. These are not perfect solutions, but they can work well. Another approach is to offer beginner-level courses in rural campuses and then require students to transfer for their final years. Yet another approach is specialization, where particular departments or faculties disperse across the country, perhaps with agriculture in one province and engineering in another. However, a very important point is to offer scholarships and to have special entry requirements or quotas for students from rural areas. Many people in the countryside may lack the financial resources to live in cities and pay high tuition fees.

In conclusion, many universities nowadays welcome diversity and equality in their policies and student bodies. It’s important for them to also make sure that students from rural areas also get the best education they can.

You can find a shorter version of this essay (241 words, compared to 343 for this one) here.

University: Theory or Practice?

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Theoretical subjects such as mathematics, philosophy and economics should be removed from university curricula and replaced with practical subjects such as computer programming and engineering. Do you agree or disagree?

The question of what should or should not be on a university syllabus has always been a contentious one. But suggesting that we make simplistic choices such as removing philosophy and replacing it with engineering is simply ridiculous. In this essay, I will explain why we need to think carefully about forcing our youth into certain college courses.

First of all, universities are not just training centers for companies. Of course the university must remain in contact with the ‘real’ world and provide courses that can be applied to ‘real’ world problems. However, this does not mean that the university’s only function is to provide cheap job-ready recruits for corporations. The real world is not a simple place: it is a multi-dimensional, interwoven web of interests, realities, perspectives and complex social interactions. Perhaps engineers can build a bridge, but they cannot do it by themselves. They need to be politicians, communicators, visionaries, designers, accountants, leaders, and problem-solvers. Similarly philosophers or economists cannot dwell in the clouds concocting grandiose theories: they need to be communicators, writers, breadwinners, accountants, cooks and baby-sitters. We all live in worlds where practice and theory constantly intersect, and our choices of course in college do not mean we are less practical or more theoretical. They simply reflect an area of our interest at a particular point in time.

A second reason why colleges should offer a wide range of courses is in response to market demands. Many colleges depend on tuition fees, and if people want to pay for doctorates in divinity or diplomas in dog-grooming, then the college should respond to this and provide the best courses possible.

Thirdly, imagine a world full of engineers, or philosophers, or food scientists, or economists. Clearly civilization would come to a halt, as would conversation. From time to time gaps will arise in the job market because of new economic or population trends, and colleges will need to produce more doctors, business graduates or nurses, but overall, a healthy society will have a healthy range of courses for its people to maximize its human potential.

However, the most important reason is that people are immensely versatile. An engineer can be a philosopher, and a cook can be an physicist, or a musician, or a day-trader. There is no need to pigeon-hole people and put artificial restrictions on their activities. College should be an opportunity to explore and to connect with the world, rather than a joyless initiation into a lifetime of work. In a world that is changing faster than ever before, we need to forget simplistic distinctions and instead prepare ourselves for a rich, varied lifetime full of opportunities and wonder.

Should college be free?

Posted on May 8, 2011 by Mr Writefix

Should college education be free, or should university students be required to pay tuition fees?

Some countries have free education from kindergarten to university, while students in other countries have to pay at every step of the way. This essay will look at some of the reasons for this difference at university level.

Free third level education has several advantages. First of all, everyone can attend, so the gap between rich and poor students decreases as poorer students have more opportunity. The economy also benefits from the increased pool of highly educated labor. An educated workforce attracts employers and foreign investment. Socially, a more educated population should have more choices regarding nutrition, jobs and lifestyle. An additional point is that university fees only contribute a small proportion of the university budget.

However, some people are opposed to free education. First of all, through their taxes, poor families subsidize rich students who can easily afford to pay fees. A second point is that spending government money on free education is often not possible or desirable when a country needs hospitals, roads, and primary or secondary schools. A third point is that a university education is a choice, not a requirement. People who finish college with advanced qualifications are going to earn large salaries and can easily afford to pay back loans. Furthermore, when people get something for free, they often do not value it. If college is free, many students will go there just because they cannot think of anything else to do.

In conclusion, free third level education is not always a good thing. Governments need to think carefully about their policies and ensure that they are using their resources to help all the people in the country equitably.

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Tag: colleges

Should college students stay at home? (very short version)

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