The True Cost of High School Dropouts

While we as America are often praised for our high educational standard and advancements in technology, it has been the case in recent years that our high school and college graduation have been lower than many other countries. As Henry Levin and Cecilia Rouse stated in their article, back in 1970 our rates of high school and college graduation were the top in the world. Now, we sit as a dismal number 21 in high school completion and 15 in college completion compared to other countries. What is causing so many of our students to drop-out? No one really knows, but there are measures being taken in order to help prevent students from dropping out, as in the long run drop-outs do end up costing the government a lot of money. High school drop-outs are more likely to draw on public money for healthcare and welfare, as well as the fact that they have less of a likelihood to become involved in the criminal justice system, leading to less money having to be spent. In the end, Levin and Rouse conclude that drop-outs end up costing the country and themselves a whole lot.

The technique most prominently used by Levin and Rouse in this article is their logos. That, combined with a strong pathos appeal as well, is what truly makes this article convincing. The authors use certain statistics and politicians quotes to show what happens when students drop-out. These statistics are meant to astonish people, and with such large numbers it targets that astonishment to persuade people to support many of the political movements to keep students in school. In this way, it also appeals to the ethical side of people because most people do believe that everyone should stay in school. With all of these appeals, it seems as if Levins and Rouses article would be able to persuade even the most doubtful of readers.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/opinion/the-true-cost-of-high-school-dropouts.html?_r=1&ref=contributors