Junior One Listening Exercise

1 As the cost of attending university has soared over the last two decades, afrank and vigorous debate is emerging over who should pay for the cost of higher education. While in some countries students have always been expected to absorb part or even all of their tuitioncosts through work or borrowing, in other countries the tremendouscost of attending university has been provided by the relevanteducation authority or by parents. I am proud to be in the small minority of students who "earn as they learn" and absorb the cost of their own university education in spite of the many obstacles.

2 As for the remaining majority, I ask myself, "Is it me, or are students these days just lazy?" Collectively, they claimthat they have no capacity to pay for college. I think it's more a matter of them simply not wanting to pay or contribute. During college I consistentlyendured comments from peers with scholarships and loans, and peers who had new cars and expensive apartments, who would ask me, eyesbulging, "You mean your parents didn't help you at all?" "How did you pay for tuition?" My response was simple: "I worked." They would look at me blankly, as though I had told them I'd gone to the moon.

3 As an undergraduate student, I worked for two solid years as a day care provider earning minimum wage. Then I paid for the rest of my education by helping deaf children and working as a tutor in a private school. Looking back, I'm not sure how I managed to cover all the costs of my education. But I did. And I bought every single textbook and pencil myself too.

4 Sometimes, I did feel a little sorry for myself, especially when I compared myself to wealthy students. I once asked another student if she worked. "Oh, no!" she said, startled, "I go to school full-time." She was taking only 13 credit hours, and yet was "too busy" to work. She went on to explain that her parents paid for everything and provided her with everynecessity, and manyluxuries too!

5 Truthfully, I was a little envious of her easy life as I took 18 credit hours so that I could graduate

within four years. Besides, I was working 25 hours a week so I could pay tuition without future loan debt. And here's something amazing: I pulled straight A's and was at the top of my class!

6 One day I caught aglimpse of that same girl's report card at the end of the term. She pulled C's and a few B's, low grades, which didn't surprise me. Having to work hard and multitask forces you toprioritize, a skill she hadn't learned.

7 I am aware that my work and study choices are not popular and that manyinfluential studies claim toillustrate that working while going to school negatively impacts educational performance. They cite increaseddropout rates, lower scores and reduced lifetime earnings. Besides, these studies also giveevidence that many students exhaust much of their earnings not on school, but on entertainment and partying while attending school. The studies also show increased abuse of alcohol and drugs, which leads me to question these students' resolve and commitment to the serious side of life.

8 For me, one of the mostauthentic benefits of the "earn-as-you-learn" approach is that, upon graduation, I was free from the substantial stress andtension of debt payments that make so many people worried and uneasy. Relieved of this considerable burden, I amconvinced that I will be able to make intelligent career choices that will provide me with greater personal satisfaction andensure better pay over the years to come.

9 The central questions of this debate are: "What is the major purpose of attending university?" and "Who should beresponsible for the cost?" For me, the answer has always been that my purpose is to get a formaleducation with anadvanced degree and that the responsibility is my own. I understand that some will disagree with mysingular approach to educational funding. But consider this, the path I have chosen has massive educational, financial, and psychological benefits!

10 I am particularly proud that, in choosing this path of self-support, I have relieved my parents of the burden of my university education. Furthermore, by taking care of myself, without their assistance, I have given them the satisfaction of knowing that they successfully completed the task of raising me into adulthood.

11 I will readily concedethat it's not always fun. It's not! But, with acceptance that you will pay your own way, you will grow andmature and learn important skills that will serve you all your life. Want to know a successful path to a happy and sustainable life? Consider joining the ranks of those of us who "earn as they learn"!

Unit 7 Hoping for the