Letter A

Zhe Xu Oeh
4730 Mortensen Road,
Ames, IA 50014
(+1)515-708-8384
zhexunited@gmail.com
August 10th 2014
Dear John,
I understand that you are in the process of deciding on whether to further your studies. The cost
of attending a college is therefore a crucial factor in your decision. A student loan is obviously
the solution to solve this issue and it has come under your consideration. You talk to me
regarding the risk of getting a study loan. So, I think it is an appropriate time for me to write you
a letter to talk about student loan debt.
I recently read an article about student debt entitled A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely by
Robin Wilson. (Wilson, 256-273) The writer wrote the article to justify that getting a student loan
isnt as bad as it looks. I agree with the writer because student loan for tertiary education is a
good long-term investment. While paying for student debt may take some time, it wont be a
long process that makes you pay for life.
Going to college is the basic building blocks of helping you achieve success in the future. A
college process enables you to be more educated to make better decisions in your life. Through
your college experience, you were able to obtain knowledge in your specific field of studies,
building new connections, learning key organization skills, and of course, making new friends!
You will also have the chance to work with people from distant places with diverse background.
Besides, graduating from college with a degree is a common norm in todays society. It has
become a necessity rather than a choice. So, missing out on tertiary education might cost you the
chance of getting better opportunities in life. The chance of you securing a job in the job market
will increase significantly. You will be able to choose where you want to work.
There must be a few key points you need to take note when it comes to student loan. You have to
strike a balance between the cost of attendance and the amount of loan you are borrowing. Your
decision on whether to attend a community college or a university will be a key of how much the
cost of attendance would be. Your field of study is obviously another key thing to decide.
Obviously, attending a medical school would cost a lot more than studying an engineering
degree.
There are always stories of the other side regarding student loan debt. Some had forced
themselves into massive debt. But, the truth is that these people might not obtain the necessary
skills while they were attending college. The author quotes Patrick M. Callan, president of the
National Center for Public Policy. The only thing worse than borrowing, is not borrowing and
not going to college at all. (Wilson, 260)

Besides, they might be those guys going for their dream college without planning ahead the
amount of student loan they are planning in the future. They want to be able to pay for the
school they wanted to go to for as long as they can remember, and they are willing to do
whatever it takes. (Wilson, 258) The writer quotes Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid, a
website about student aid.
After reading my letter, I strongly encourage you to obtain a study loan for your higher
education. It is a process that will benefit you greatly. This is a long-term investment that will
guarantee you success.
Thank You.
Yours Sincerely,
Zhe Xu

Works Cited
Wilson, Robin. A Lifetime of Student Debt? Not Likely. They Say/I Say: The Moves That
Matter in Academic Writing. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2010. 256-272. Print

Letter B
Zhe Xu Oeh
4730 Mortensen Road,
Ames, IA 50014
(+1)515-708-8384
zhexunited@gmail.com
August 10th 2014
Dear Dr Paul,
My name is Zhe Xu Oeh. I recently attended your talk about the value of liberal arts degree. I
am currently in the midst of my decision on what field I am pursuing for my tertiary education
and your talk certainly gave me a lot of insight details people might have overlooked.
I recently read an article entitled The New Liberal Arts by Sanford J Ungar. This article
reminds me of the talk you gave. I agreed with the position the author had about the common
misconceptions people had about liberal arts education. A liberal arts degree can guarantee future
success. Certainly, you talk a lot about these misconceptions, among that how a liberal arts
degree can actually benefit a student greatly. Im writing this letter to you to share some of my
opinions about liberal arts education.
The biggest misconception is that people are not able to obtain a job with a liberal arts degree. I
think people should be narrow-minded to think that you are only able to work in your specific
field when you are done with your studies. Todays job requirement requires students to be a
better all-rounder, and to adapt to any changes effectively. The author points out that it is hard for
every fresh graduate to get a job regardless of their major. Ungar stated in the article that 89
percent of the nations employers are looking for more emphasis on the ability to effectively
communicate orally and in writing, (Ungar, 192)
Another misconception about liberal arts is that you study only the arts. The truth is that liberal
arts encompass the broadest possible range of disciplines in the natural sciences, the humanities,
and the social sciences. (Ungar, 195) Through liberal arts education, students will be able to
obtain knowledge from a wide variety of different fields. Students are able to think critically and
obtain relevant skills. I believe these are some of the key aspects that have been constantly
overlooked by students.
*NOT FULLY COMPLETED YET
Thank You.
Yours sincerely,
Zhe Xu