In the Basement of the Ivory Tower Reading Response

In this excerpt a college professor explains how dealing with older or returning students can be a challenge. He gives us a example with Ms. L saying that she was technology illiterate and she couldn't comprehend doing research for a paper. He then explains that everyone thinks that people going back to college to expand their knowledge and career opportunities are a good thing because of government and the media. But some students just aren't ready to go back to school.

The professor argues his point by explaining that grading these assignments from the students that aren't on a college level is hard for both the student and himself. He starts by telling us the reaction of Ms. L and how broken she looked and felt when receiving her "F", but he also lets us know that it was hard for him to give her that grade because she had attended class and had worked her hardest. He goes back and forth about if should help this student or even tell her that she isn't ready for college, but decides against it. Does he ever tell her?

I definitely agree with author that some people aren't ready for college and it doesn't matter if they're are straight out of high school or if they got out of high school 20 years ago. College isn't for everyone and it's hard for some people to realize this because you have to have a degree to make money in the world we live in today. I do disagree in the fact that he doesn't tell Ms. L that she wasn't ready for college, this conversation could have saved her a lot of money and maybe made her realize that he's right.

" Ms. L. had done everything that American culture asked of her. She had gone back to school to better herself, and she expected to be rewarded for it, not slapped down." This line really spoke to me because of the fact that everywhere in media they tell to go to college and to better yourself, but they never tell you that some people won't make it or even can't.