Dale Stephens' College is a waste of time

To construct an argumentative essay, you must have the four pillars of argument.The four components of an argument are the thesis statement, evidence, refutation of opposing arguments, and the concluding statement.As Dale Stephens demonstrated in his argumentative essay "College is a waste of time," by using all elements it helped him build a solid argument.

Thesis statement-a single sentence that states your point of view on a situation.It is also debatable.

His thesis was located in the third paragraph, which wasn't in most cases the first paragraph.The thesis statement is " We think of college as a stepping-stone to success rather than a means to gain knowledge."This is very debatable because some people believes that college will give us the skills necessary to become productive. 

Evidence-the facts,observations,writer's opinion,examples,statistics,and etc. 

The evidence shown to back up his thesis is displayed in paragraph four, six, and eight. Paragraph four shows statistics such as "  36%  of college graduates showed no improvement in critical thinking, complex reasoning."  In paragraph six and eight is the expert opinion. 

Refutation-call out arguments that challenge your position,acknowledging the strengths and point out their short comings.

He calls out the arguments that challenge his position in paragraph nine and ten.  In eight he states his opinion where a college degree would not be beneficial if you have the talent. How employers are now hiring people because of their talents. In nine however he states that it does not mean everyone should drop out. If you want to go to medical school, you should because it's not like you can practice at home on a corpse. He is showing how college is a mean to gain knowledge. In the tenth paragraph, he solidifies his point that although college is mean to gain knowledge, it's not a stepping stone to success. That if one decides not to go to college, they will not end up strung out on drugs. He says that dropping out of college does not make one form a drug habit that " people who indulge in drugs and alcohol do so before, during, and after college." 

Conclusion-reiterating your position.

In paragraph ten he restated his thesis by saying "We who take our education outside and beyond the classroom understand how actions build a better world. We will change the world regardless of the letters after our names."

The author appeal:

Dale Stephens uses both ethos and logos in his argumentative essay.In paragraph one he tells his readers that "I have been awarded a golden ticket to the heart of  Silicon Valley: The Thiel Fellowship." To show that what he is saying is credible. He presents his arguments in a logical fashion. Introducing his point, about how college is not the only path to success. He begins with showing examples of how it is not necessary if you have the talent but also shows where one would need to attend college if you want work example would be working in the medical field.