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Running head: HIGH SCHOOL PREPARING STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE

Is High School Preparing Students for College?

Everlyn Ramirez
The University of Texas at El Paso

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HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE PREPARATION

Is High School Preparing Students for College?

Through the course of time changes have been made in high school in regards to the
preparation give to the students before going into college or a university. Programs are being
created for students to join or take as class, but at the same time when high school students
enter their chosen university come unprepared to the loads of work given in their new
classes, or they come afraid with the false expectations given from high school teachers. This
issue is spoke in these two genres that are putting out there the changes that are being
adapted by some schools around the U.S and how students feel about the way high school
teachers are giving them false expectations about college. In a Tumblr blog made by a
college student, Dan Sabato, 21, from Philadelphia explains his feelings towards the advice
given by high school teachers about college and he gives his side of the college experience.
The second genre is a video from ESPN informing the audience about the changes in GPAs
for athlete students. Both genres will be analyzed for the remainder of this paper.
Audience and Purpose
The first genre is a video from ESPN, Bad Grades? Some schools OK with it.
where the intended audience is high school students, parents of high school students, other
school teachers, and administration (ESPN, 2012). Most of the audience already has an idea
that GPA for athletes should be at a minimum of a 2.5, but in Rockford, IL made it possible
for students who didnt have that GPA to play but lowering the minimum to a 1.68. The
second genre is a Huffington Post about a college students Tumblr blog, "College as
explained to me in high school" vs. "College as experienced firsthand". This blog is intended
more for high school students mostly juniors and seniors. This blog gives Dan Sabatos, a

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college student, view on the expectations of college from his high school teachers to the new
discoveries in college.
The purpose of the first genre, the ESPN video, was to inform other schools and other
parents of the changes going around in other school around the U.S. Giving the location
where this video is coming from, students, mainly athletes and parents of athletes take notice
of what the video is explaining. The content of the video includes student opinions about how
they feel the change in GPA is either helping them or how it really is affecting them in the
long run. One comment from a student in the video was, First I think that teachers believe in
us, but at the same time they dont believe in us. But at the end of the day I am playing
football and thats what I love, Robert Wiston. There were also other comments from other
students, with above average grades that was not OK with the changes made in the GPA and
said that I was not fair for other students who were actually trying their best. By using the
opinion of the students the audience can understand their feeling, which sets the tone of the
video. The headmaster, who made the drastic change, in words of the writer of the story,
explained that everyone has different standards and not everyone does equally good in
everything. Roger Blake, executive director of the California Interscholastic Federation
said, "As an educator, it's 100 percent wrong ... If we say kids can't attain a GPA because of
the environment they're coming from, then we're failing those kids,( ESPN, 2012). By
adding this comment on the video it gives both sides of the views of the issue. The good and
the bad results of the solution to the athletes. The purpose of the second genre is more to
entertain and inform high school students about the expectations given to most by their high
school teacher and a glance of what college mostly looks like. The blog post is not as

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informative as the first genre, but it can be easier for students to relate and take notice. One
of the of the things mention in the blog was,
In high school they told us: There will be no grades in a class except the midterm and the
final, so you have to study hard because failing one test means you fail the class.
Once I was in college a professor said: Hey, you guys are working really hard on your third
paper, so I'm just going to cancel the final and give everyone a hundred on
it(raptorific.tumblr.com, 2013)
The blog can be a bit bias regarding its content since it was written by a college student, but
in reality this is what some student other are facing and it might be causing fear or not
enough desire to go to college.
Both genres time frames and language are different. In the video the audience might
spend about 8 minutes watching it. While reading the blog post can take probably a minute or
two from the intended audience. In regards to the language in the first genre, the ESPN video
the language is limited to something more formal with maybe some informal comments from
the students. In the second genre, the blog post, the language is more informal and bias
almost rude. Nevertheless both genres are easy to understand to all audiences.
Rhetoric Issue
Both genres use rhetorical appeals when exhibiting their topics of high school
preparation in general and for college.

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Ethos
In the first genre, the ESPN reported introduces the issue to the audience right from
the start to capture attention from the audience. The people in the video who are sharing their
stories and comments are credible since its students sharing their feelings about and
administrators and most important the headmaster of the school. Since the audience can
relate to the topic being explained in the video, it makes it more credible on its content. The
second genre it is not all the credible due to the writer. Since its a college student expressing
his feelings to a blog, it cannot be proven to be either truth or false. Regardless the audience
of the blog can relate to the topic and the content of blog making it in some way credible to
some of the audience.
Pathos
The video creates and emotion appeal by using the students comments and feels
about the change being made in the GPA. By using pathos in the video the audience can
connect more with the feelings of the speakers, and create a bit of anger or become very
upset. It all depends on the viewer of course. Also the comments from the educators and
headmaster contribute to the emotional appeal of either anger or in some way happiness
toward the students now being able to enjoy and appreciate school. In the second genre the
audience emotional reaction will be more of relief and maybe anger toward their high school
teachers but since the blog is bias there is no foundation to the current feelings the audience.
Logos
The first genre uses logos by giving information on GPA averages, information of
other cities doing the same reduction of GPA, but no giving the exact number. Lastly,

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provides information the improvement of student graduating. The evidence its credible
because of the people who are giving it, the head master and educators. In the second genre,
the blog does not use any credible information, mainly focuses on pathos.
Structure and Delivery
Regardless both genres where not completely related to each other, they both relate to
the main topic of preparation for college. The first genre is organized from introduction to
conclusion. It explains the topic beginning with the issue, solution, comments, and
conclusion. In the second genre in more like a list but still well organize of in a sense of
expectation vs. reality. The first genre being a video, its easier to engage and get fully
informed, while in the blog is more entertaining.

Conclusion
Both topics explained the topic to excellence. The first genre was more informative
and more credible than the second one, but the blog really gave that entertaining twist and hit
on the nail with the topic. High school gives all students an opportunity to go out there and
try new things and their best of whatever they love which could be sports, fine arts, and
academics. As well high school can lead them to failure by giving them the wrong idea or
reality.

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References
Lavinge, P. (2012, October 18). Bad grades? Some schools OK with it. Retrieved June 12,
2015, from http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/page/Outside-The-Lines-GPA/some-highschools-actually-reducing-gpa-requirements-student-athletes
Sabato, D. (2013, October 17). "College as explained to me in high school" vs. "College as
experienced firsthand" Retrieved June 14, 2015, from
http://raptorific.tumblr.com/post/63494928214/college-as-explained-to-me-in-high-schoolvs#notes
Trudon, T. (2013, October 21). High School VS. College: What It's Really Like As
Experienced Firsthand. Retrieved June 14, 2015, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/11/high-school-vs-college_n_4073178.html