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Ali Gallagher
Prof Fielding
WRCT 103 Section 41
17 February 2016
Why We Need Free Higher Education Now
Richard Eskow wrote a very intriguing article titled Tuition-Free Higher
Education Must Be Offered. This scholarly article was published on Opposing
Viewpoints on Gale and appeals to an audience of students looking to get a higher
education or currently getting a higher education. The audience could also be whoever is
paying for the schooling or whoever sets the cost of it. Richard Eskow is trying to
convince people that free tuition or even lowered tuition would result in positive
outcomes and does this by adding a lot of statistics and examples to support his argument.
The PSA Free Tuition Now could be published in an education magazine or even a
newspaper. The rhetoric of Richard Eskows opposing viewpoints article and Ali
Gallaghers Free Tuition Now PSA both rely on ethos pathos and logos to support getting
free higher education.
The authors main argument is that Free higher education, nonetheless, can be
affordably achieved in several ways, such as through increased, better-coordinated
government spending and ending corporate tax loopholes. He believes higher education
is essential for us to arise out of our current crises. People are paying crazy amounts to

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get a higher education and it has caused most debt than the country has ever seen. Eskow
claims we are not longer going to be considered the land of opportunity because the
opportunity to get a higher education and get what comes along with a higher education,
is getting harder and harder to achieve for many of our citizens. I would characterize the
style as scholarly and the argument is organized topically.
Eskow is very credible and there are examples of ethos in the article. He is a
trusted senior fellow at the Campaign for America's Future, a progressive political
organization. He is the host of radio new show the zero and a writer and editor for Bernie
campaign 2016. He comes across as very trustworthy.
In this article Eskow uses examples of Logos. There is a lot of logic and proof to
his argument. The first example I found was a statistic that he used in the article. The
U.S. ranks 14th in the world in the percentage of 25-34 year-olds with higher education
(42%) (Eskow, 3). Another statistic he used for support was Public funds pay for 70
percent of higher education on average in developed countries. In the United States, they
only pay a little more than half as much on a percentage basisand our education costs
more, too (Eskow, 4). Lastly, he states Federal Reserve data tables show that the total
student debt outstanding in this country is now $1.225 trillion. What's more, that figure
has risen by nearly $400 billion over the last four years [since 2010], or nearly a hundred
billion dollars a year (Eskow, 5). Both these do a good job in supporting his argument
and proves something should be changed.
Although it may be the hardest to find, Eskow does use pathos in this article. He
writes about debt from schooling in a very negative way that gets the audience to feel and

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agree that something needs to be changed. Imagine the stimulus effect that $400 billion
might have had in these post-financial crisis years. Imagine the even greater stimulus
effect that we might have experienced if there were a massive write-down on the overall
$1.2 trillion. That kind of policy initiative should also be on the table (Eskow, 5). He
gets us to believe that it can be done using a more positive light and positive thinking by
saying Free higher education is an affordable dream (Eskow, 7).
Eskow is effective because after reading this article I was in support of his
argument. He was effective because he used good statistics to back up his information. I
would say the author uses mostly logos and ethos. He is a credible wrier and he uses logic
from statistics. One thing the author could have possibly done better is use more pathos.
Although there are examples that can be found in this verbal argument, adding more may
lead to a better effect. By using pathos he would have been able to connect with his
readers on a more emotional level.
Free tuition is the answer!
We are studentsnot customers!
Class of 2015 has the most student debt
in history
Each graduate on average has $35,051 in
student debt

WOULD YOU LIKE THIS TO BE

YOUR CHILD? TAKE A STAND IN
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE PRICES
OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Freecollehenow.org

Free Tuition Now by Ali Gallagher

This PSA is in support of free higher education. With an average of $35,051 in debt per student
something needs to be done to fix this problem.

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The title of the PSA by Ali Gallagher is Free tuition is the answer. The PSA was
created on February 17th, 2016 at James Madison University. Classmates, professors,
students looking for and currently getting a higher education are all considered the
audience. More importantly people in charge of budgeting costs of college are also who
the argument is against and written for. The author is trying to convince them to lower the
cost of higher education to even have it be completely free of charge. The author makes
attempts at convincing the audience by using photos, statistics and a credible organization
to back up her argument.
Gallagher has examples of ethos. Gallagher graduated from Fairfield Warde High
School. She is currently getting a higher education at James Madison University so she
has first hand experience with the cost of tuition and with student debt. The tone of the
PSA is confident and shows authority its very straight to the point. The organization
freecollegenow.org gives the PSA credibility. I think the author uses good word choice
thats appropriate for the audience.
Many examples of logos can be found in the PSA. The first statistic is the class of
2015 will have the most student debt in history. Another statistic is on average each
graduate will have $35,051 in student loans to pay off. The claim is very clear, specific
and strongly and supported. One example of an organization that supports this would be
freecollegenow.org.
There were definitely examples of Pathos in the PSA. Automatically 2 pictures
and bright red words jump right at you. There is a picture of graduation caps with the
students debt listed on them. This picture really puts it into perspective and shows the

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thousands and thousands of dollars that will take years to pay off. There is also picture of
a school that has a sign free education to all. Both pictures get the audience thinking.
Things should be getting better not getting worse. We should be fixing the problem of so
much accumulated student debt not gaining more. These are intense pictures that really
capture the intensity and seriousness of this issue.
I believe both Eskow and Gallagher are effective. There isnt a noticeable flaw or
hole in the argument. This PSA is similar to the verbal argument because they both use
ethos logos and pathos in them. They are different because the PSA uses more Pathos
than the article does. The PSA and verbal argument are both good however when used
together it causes a more powerful effect and helps deepen the understanding of each
other. Although both powerful I believe the verbal argument is more powerful because it
states more statistics but also more about how this can be done.

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Works Cited
"About Us." Campaign For Free College Tuition. Freecollegenow.org. Web. 12 Feb.
2016.
Eskow, Richard. Tuition Free Higher Education Must Be Offered. Gale. Opposing
Viewpoints, 2015. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.