Colleges Are Facing An Enrollment Nightmare
For years, Senator Lamar Alexander was known for theatrically unfurling a paper document so long that he could hold it above his head and still see it drag along the chamber floor.
Rose Horowitch
The Atlantic
March 30, 2024
Viewpoint Detected:
Strong
Fallacies Detected:
Appeal to Emotion, False Dilemma, Biased Language
credAIble Evaluation:
The narrative surrounding the FAFSA simplification and its botched implementation emphasizes a strong use of Appeal to Emotion, highlighting the distress, confusion, and challenges faced by students and families. This emotional appeal is intended to draw readers' attention to the significant impact these issues have on real people's lives, particularly those from low-income backgrounds who are most in need of financial aid. The text also presents a False Dilemma by framing the situation as a choice between either enduring the current chaotic implementation process or risking students' futures, without considering the possibility of intermediate solutions or phased approaches that could mitigate the negative effects on students. Biased Language is evident in the description of the implementation failures and the criticism of the government's handling of the situation. The language used conveys a sense of incompetence and lack of foresight, further emphasizing the narrative's critical stance towards the government's role in the FAFSA simplification process. Overall, the narrative scrutinizes the FAFSA simplification's implementation failures, focusing on the consequences for students and the perceived inadequacies of governmental planning and prioritization. It uses emotional appeals, presents a binary choice, and employs biased language to critique the process and its impact on college access for vulnerable populations.