Conversation topic 1 - Text and Discussion

1 - College and education

People go to college or university for some different reasons. Why do you think people attend college or university? Give examples and details to support your ideas.

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad_gVhBOGzI

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Giving opinion: I think that… I believe that… I guess that… I strongly believe that… It seems to me that… I tend to think that… I am of the opinion that…

                                                                                                                            

Text -   If your child ever asks, “Why should I go to college?” here are five reasons!

Adapted from http://www.greatschools.org/ - By GreatSchools Staff

1.make more money

People who graduate from college make more money than those with just a high school diploma. A lot more money, actually. People with a college degree make around $1,100 a week. Someone with a high school diploma makes just $638.

2. Have more opportunity.

People who go to college open up their choices for jobs. Many jobs these days require a college degree. Plus, college graduates have less chance of losing their jobs. In 2009, there were 9.7 million unemployed high school graduates, compared with 5.2 million college graduates without jobs.

3. Make connections.

In college, students make new friends and other connections that will be helpful when it’s time to get started in a career. Those friends that they make in college will help them get jobs, and these connections and networks will help them throughout their lives.

4. Live a healthier and happier life.

Studies showed that college graduates are healthier and are less likely to get divorced. The divorce rate for college graduates who married between 1990 and 1994 is about 25 percent. That’s compared with more than 50 percent for those without a four-year college degree. In addition, people with just a high school diploma are nearly twice as likely to be in poorer health than college graduates.

5. Start a tradition.

If your child goes to college, your grandchildren will be more likely to go too: 71 percent of students with at least one parent who has a bachelor’s degree apply to college themselves. Only 26 percent of first-generation students (those with no parent who went beyond high school) apply to college.

Opinion.

 

·    Be critical. Do you agree with all the 5 points presented by the text? Why?

·    Do you go to college? Why?

·    Do you think going to college is extremely important for your future? Why?

·    Do you know people who haven’t gone to college and don’t regret it? Give details.

·    How seriously people take college in Brazil?

·    Would you take an online course?