Rhetorical Analysis of Kahlenberg's “The Genius of Obama's Two-Year College Proposal” (Essay Sample)

Student’s Name Professor Course Number Date Rhetorical Analysis of Kahlenberg’s "The Genius of Obama’s Two-Year College Proposal” Most students believe that accessing higher education is the key to getting a good job and achieving the American dream. Well, this assumption is true to some extent. However, the cost of attaining such education is the limiting factor, which has prompted various lobby groups and educational agencies to advocate free college education. In "the genius of Obama's Two-Year College Proposal," posted on 12th January 2015 in The Atlantic, Kahlenberg argues that most critics challenge the ability of this strategy to tackle the initial issues that hinder higher education. Contrarily, he believes that this policy will foster socioeconomic integration in institutions of higher learning. Kahlenberg incorporates emotional appeals into his purposeful tone to bolster the credibility and strength of his argument. Throughout the article, the author employs various sources that ensure credibility and appeal to ethos. For instance, Kahlenberg includes the study by Anthony Carnevale and Jeff Strohl to reiterate that wealthy students outnumber poor students in most colleges (Kahlenberg). Moreover, the research of these scholars suggests an increase in the number of poor students joining colleges between 1982 and 2006. Kahlenberg also incorporates the study findings of Bridget Terry and Michel Kuhlaender, which portrays poor performance of economically challenged students (Kahlenberg). Utilizing these sources reassures the readers that the author has conducted sufficient research. In essence, he has provided factual evidence and expert opinions that build the credibility of his arguments. Besides his appeal to ethos, Kahlenberg also appeals to logos due to the presence of various facts, statistics, and logical progressions to develop his argument. For example, he provides accurate figures based on the 2011 Delta Project report to emphasize the difference in higher education spending (Kahlenberg). Additionally, he uses the ratio of 14: 1 to illustrate the high proportion of wealthy students in colleges. In another scenario, Kahlenberg exclaims at the 90% of graduating students in Tennessee that have embraced the universal community college program (Kahlenberg). Ideally, these statistics and numbers support the author’s claims concerning the validity of Obama’s two-year college proposal. As a result, it creates a logical appeal to the readers and enhances their understanding of the topic. Furthermore, the author uses a formal tone to express his ideas and develop a perfect understanding of the audience. Apparently, he does not use personal pronouns and rhetorical questions throughout his piece. The formal tone in this argument makes the case clear and intelligent. It bolsters the credibility and influences the perception and confiden...