Journal # 5 - Graduation rates at USI in light of "I Am Malala"

As we learned in class, the USI graduation rate for four and six years is not as high as it should be. There are multiple reasons for the graduation rate to be so low at USI. The Graduation rates for both four and six years are less than 40% each. The four-year graduation rate is actually less than 25%. These numbers are too small.

            The graduation rates for USI are very low for multiple reasons. One reason is that many students transfer away from USI after starting school here. Another reason is that USI has low standards of admission, and therefore the student body isn’t as motivated as many other universities. However, on a larger scale graduation rates are low at USI because of the American view on education. In today’s society, many students have lost the zeal for education. This differs greatly from other nations.

            For example, as we’ve read in our I Am Malala books the Children of Pakistan are motivated to get an education. Malala herself was so motivated to get an education that she was willing to go against the Taliban’s heinous regime, and even got shot for going to school. This extreme example shows that the American education system is doing something wrong.

            Education is one of the main themes in I Am Malala. Through Malala’s story we see the importance of education. Education is unlike any other thing in the world. With an education people can move up social classes and free themselves from oppression. An education can change a person’s life in a way that no other thing can.

            If American’s valued education the way many other culture’s do, the graduation rates of USI and all other universities would be much higher. Education is so easy to come by in America, however in many other countries an education can be almost impossible to attain. Maybe if was more difficult to get into college, we would value college more and in turn, work harder in school.

            In conclusion, the USI graduation rates are very low. One reason that the graduation rates are so low at USI is because the students do not value education, as they should. In I Am Malala we see that other cultures value education so highly that they would risk their lives to become educated.  If American’s valued education like people did in other countries such as Pakistan, the graduation rates could be much higher.