Amayah Jones 

ENGL 1102 

Dr. Weaver 

9 March 2022

Drexel University

Summary: 

Drexel University was founded by Anthony J. Drexel in Philadelphia, PA in 1891 as a school for higher education in the world of constant innovation. While dedicated to finding solutions to the world’s problems through extensive experiments and research, Drexel University allows its students to participate in potential discoveries. This makes the ideal Drexel student someone willing to positively impact their community and the future. The website uses the APATSARC strategy assumptions aligning with the large rhetorical strategy imagining ideal readers to persuade the audience to become students. All in all, Drexel University works to improve society and give students practical experience in their career pathway. 

Analysis: 

The Drexel University website expresses what students will be exposed to in this urban-based school from major projects to individual advancement. On the website, the school uses assumptions along with imagining ideal readers to capture audience’s interest. They attempt to apply to as many individuals as possible, mentioning their contribution to various fields. The website is complemented by the school’s continuously growing reputation and presence in the academic world. So, while the website uses the aspects of the school to attract many individuals, the target audience is those interested in research and creating a major impact on the world. 

The Drexel University website looks to use its location and prestige to grasp the audience which is where assumptions are introduced. As mentioned, it is in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is a “world-class comprehensive R1 research institution and a global leader in experiential education” (Drexel University). The website assumes that the audience is responsive to life in the city and being a part of the reputation and discoveries offered by Drexel University. Therefore, the university highlights elements that they presume will be appealing based on their ideal audience. For example, the website expresses that Drexel is “. . . putting students on the front lines of innovation alongside the visionaries shaping the future of their fields” (Drexel University). In other words, Drexel works to give students hands-on experience, ultimately building their resumes while allowing them to assist in potential groundbreaking discoveries. The Drexel strategy is based on the expectation that those reading are revolutionists and bear extensive goals. Overall, the school is looking to pique people’s interest when mentioning its domination in experimental education. 

The school also uses its reputation when imagining ideal readers, because they are looking for people that are persuaded by the thought of attending an esteemed school such as how some people go to Harvard based on its prestige alone. As a result, this school website includes its ranking and achievements such as being “Awarded the designation of “R1 Doctoral University — Very High Research Activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions (2019)” and disclosing 43 total inventions (Drexel University). The website looks from the perspective of students who want to be associated with a school well known for immense success. Drexel also imagines ideal readers to be swayed by potential scientific relevance. For instance, people who may want to become recognized for being a part of a remarkable scientific breakthrough will want to attend a school that finds itself in the center of innovation. 

In retrospect, the Drexel University website expects to gain the allegiance of the audience with its influence in the community and its triumph in inventive academics. The city aspect is an accent that may be a finalizing factor for many readers based on their outlook on life in the city. Drexel makes it known that the goal is for the students to develop as individuals and succeed in their passions. They are driven to go beyond merely being engaged in class activities to apply what they learned at Drexel University to enhance the community around them. In the end, Drexel University goes beyond life on campus and individual advancement. 

Response: 

After learning about Drexel University’s place in the academic world, I did consider adding this school to my college list, but the main reason I would not want to go is because it is in Philidelphia and Philidelphia is not my ideal city. However, it promotes many attractive features such as its dedication to advancing knowledge and its urban location. 

The absence of barriers such as money, test scores, or distance would also make me attend the school such as if it were located somewhere like New York. That is my ideal school location because I love the north, especially the New York atmosphere. I do not want to stay in Georgia for higher education so, if Drexel were in New York, I would go there, or it would be an option. I am primarily interested in attending a research university and Drexel sells its prestige in that department. This school aligns with some of my essential values in life; it promotes success, freedom, learning, and reputation. The school is focused on helping their students learn resulting in their overall success in their lives. In addition, students are offered many freedoms such as time to explore many facets of the college, participating in various experiments, and promoting student involvement. As mentioned in my analysis Drexel attached many accomplishments to their website and they are building their prominence in society and for that reason, I would want to apply to this school. Drexel University has proven to be a school worth the application because of its dedication to involving students in the betterment of the world and I want to be a part of something bigger than myself, so this school has me sold. 

Work Cited 

 Drexel Home, 7 Mar. 2022, drexel.edu/. 

Summary

The college of Bowdoin was founded on June 24, 1794 in Brunswick, Maine by James Bowdoin III. The most notable alumni of that college were the fourteenth president Franklin Pierce, television actor Gary Merrill, and Olympic gold medalist Joan Benoit Samuelson. The college of Bowdoin looks for and encourages students to foster joy in learning and take intellectual risks in education. It desires students to join the college so that they can graduate with the ability to engage in views in a critical manner. They hold that they appreciate the liberal arts and encourages everyone to foster its joy. Bowdoin wants the students to graduate with a mind of judgment and views of a critical manner.

Analysis
The two strategies that the website includes is Structure and Imagining Ideal Readers. Structure is how the piece of writing is formed in such a manner. In this case, the website is formed as a informational article that is split up into sections explaining their five domains of education. Their five domain include intellectual and academic, social and residential, athletic, esthic and environmental, and ethical. What the website did was that they would take each domain and give about examples of what the meaning is behind it. For example, when the website was discussing intellectual and academic, they explain the essential skills that goes along with it. They said, “the College enable students to master essential quantitative and writing skills and skills of oral communication, with the guidance of faculty, other professionals, and qualified student peers” (The Mission of the College, 2022).

There are plenty of information that is structured in that type of manner and they go into thorough detail of why these skill sets are important. What they also do with Structure is that they have divided each topic into their own separate page. There are different pages that explain the Offer of the College, The Mission of the College, and Bowdoin and the Environment. The reason for this is that it works as a guide to students who want to understand what they are enrolling into. That is how the website uses  one of the parts of the strategy of Structure into their website. There is another part of the website that uses structure in another way.

What they also use in their Structure strategy, is that they use quotes from a variety of educators who have been in the Bowdoin area. The quotes are by educators of Bowdoin such as William Dewitt Hyde and Joseph McKeen. These quotes are often used as support to their topics. One of the quotes that was said “To lose yourself in generous enthusiasms and cooperate with others for common ends . . . ; this is the offer of the College” (President William DeWitt Hyde, 1903). This quote puts a strong emphasis on what the college can offer to anyone who is trying to enroll. The structure of the quotes are often used in a sentence as it continues to follow the point of the topic. Some of the quotes have a meaning behind them such as the quote,  “count Nature a familiar acquaintance,” (The Mission of the College, 2022). The meaning to that quote is that when you are student or educator at Bowdoin college, you have the need to preserve the ecosystem. That is how the website adds everything to the Structure strategy into their writing.

The second strategy that the website uses is Imagining Ideal Readers. Imagining Ideal Readers is strategy that utilizes in the readers who are reading an article and gives the right context to said readers. In this case, the ideal readers are the people who are interested into joining Bowdoin college and the article is giving out the information that is just right for them. An example of this is the wording of their statements to make sure the readers know what is expected. What they do is that they would put in information about the college and they would word it as a essay while it’s still formatted as an article. That way the writing can be easy to interpret. Another example of Imagining Ideal Readers is how the writing can be based on a person. This person could be an alumni who graduated or an educator who has been there for quite some years. For example, they often talk about the educators, mainly President Willam DeWittt Hyde, into the writing almost as if he was telling everyone how to adapt to the college life at Bowdoin. It really brings everyone captivated when reading the website. That is how the website implements the second strategy of Imagining Ideal Readers.

Response
I would say that I’m not much of a fit to be at the Bowdoin College. The reason that I would say this is that it’s a little too far away from my home and I don’t think I could meet up with all those expectations for the students. The expectation are showing that students should really be part of the liberal arts and I’m not a particular fan of those kinds of arts. Granted, it includes theatre arts, but it goes a little too far past that point. It goes to the point of doing everything for the college such as protect its ecosystem and have a special gifts of social and geographical skills. It’s a little too much ask if you tell me. Another reason why I don’t think I’m fit to be at Bowdoin College is that it is way too far for me. I’m better off being next to my home and family rather than be off to Maine. Bowdoin College may be a nice and pleasant college, but I would rather stick with my state and current college that I am attending. The last thing that I have to say about Bowdoin College is that it’s acceptance rate is by 9.2%. It is very low acceptance for anyone who’s trying to join the college. Since it is a private college, I would make sense why it is very hard to get accepted into it. The GPA requirement is 3.93 or higher and you should a score of 1510 in SAT and a score of 34 in ACT. That college is truly looking for people who can actually go above average or excel with an academic gift of learning. Those are the manny reasons why I think Bowdoin College isn’t the college for me.

https://www.bowdoin.edu/index.html

Summary 

San Diego State University is in the heart of San Diego. On its website, there are so many programs to choose from, many other colleges under their name that can suit different majors, and SDSU is even in other locations. SDSU was founded in 1897 and it would first be a training institution for elementary school teachers. SDSU went through a lot of changes, adjustments, and improvements to become what it is now. President John F. Kennedy even had the opportunity and experience to receive the university’s first honorary doctorate in 1963.  

From clicking on the different headings on the website, it’s noticeable that they want to attract students that engage in the school community, students that are passionate and thrive for success, and treats everyone as an equal. The first links that are available are the different program degrees that students can choose from. This shows how SDSU wants to attract eager students as well.  

Analysis 

SDSU’s website has beautiful pictures that portray what life is like at SDSU. It has many links available to the reader, has so much information to go through and it does a good job of introducing SDSU and how it works. San Diego State University’s website exploits two rhetorical strategies, Purpose and Imagining Ideal Readers. 

The rhetorical strategy, Purpose, can be distinctly seen when the author wants readers to know that SDSU will continue to improve and expand as time goes on. This shows how SDSU always has something in mind about how they will benefit the university, faculty, and students. “We will continue to do so as we build SDSU’s new chapter of inclusive opportunity for more students, reimagining a university designed to thrive for many years to come, and impacting San Diego, our border region, and the world as never before.” (SDSU, About)  

SDSU does a good job on explaining the different diverse programs that this university offers and how the different programs are connected to SDSU’s mission. The author states these programs, wanting students to apply the different courses in the outside world. Their goal in saying this is wanting to make sure that students attain information, and it stays with them to guide them into their real-life experiences. An example of the rhetorical strategy, purpose is stated here, “San Diego State University pursues its mission through its many diverse departments and interdisciplinary programs in the creative and performing arts, the humanities, the sciences, and the social and behavioral sciences.” (SDSU, About) 

In SDSU’s website, there’s a lot of talk about diversity and that’s what makes this university stand out. What the author wants to do here is they want students to feel like they can be a part of a family. In order for students to feel accepted, guided, and welcomed, there needs to be dependable, flexible leaders that take consideration of students’ needs and aspire for a fulfilling journey. (SDSU, SDSU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan) SDSU wants every student to know that everything at this university (courses, teachers, landmarks, etc.) are taken seriously and are thought through.  

Their other rhetorical strategy is Imagining Ideal Readers, which means taking in thought of who the author wants to convince or attract to, in this case, this university. SDSU is all about acceptance and being fair. Throughout their website, this message can be seen everywhere, and it seems as though it’s practiced a lot in this university. On the website, it says “Our campus diversity being our pride. SDSU is recognized for its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. About 54 percent of students are of color, the university recognized for our military and veteran program and ranked as a top college for LGBTQ students. For generations, SDSU has overcome hurdles and defied expectations, forging ahead to deliver academic excellence, student success and groundbreaking research.” (SDSU, About) 

SDSU tries to reach their ideal student by explaining how much support and help that this university offers and will offer to every student to accomplish their goals. It seems like the author makes sure that every student is able to learn and execute when it comes to their education. An example of the rhetorical strategy, Imagining Ideal Readers, can be seen when said “SDSU commits to a future where all students are able to achieve their greatest potential. Our collective efforts will elevate SDSU as a national exemplar, providing education and training for the innovators and leaders our region and global society demand. SDSU will provide access to success through transformational experiences in and outside of the classroom for undergraduate, graduate, and lifelong learners. With an enduring commitment to innovation, resilience and to our students, we will cultivate a university culture and infrastructure that facilitates an affordable, student-centered, wellness-focused, life-long educational journey, supported by every member of the SDSU community.” (SDSU, Strategic Plan)  

Response 

Would I go to this university if money wasn’t an issue and if I lived closer? If I choose nursing, yes, I would; they have study abroad opportunities for nurses and I feel like that would be a great experience. SDSU has many opportunities for work experience such as internships as well. Those internships would teach me different skills and help me gain more knowledge.

There is so much diversity and I would love to be close to the different beaches. It would also be a good place for me to connect deeper with my culture and language. I love the whole message about acceptance when it comes to students and how devoted SDSU is about their mission and goals. That makes me feel like no student will be left behind and every voice is heard at this university. SDSU also demonstrates that they will always be up for improvement and changes to the curriculum of this university; ensuring that students are welcomed and seen. 

Citations 

“Home | San Diego State University.” Www.sdsu.edu, SDSU, 2021, www.sdsu.edu/. 

Ayanna Cade

ENGL 1102

March 3rd, 2022

acade7@student.gsu.edu

Summary 

The University of Houston is a public university in the city of  Houston, Texas.  According to the website, they want students who want to research, a career, students that are outgoing, and a diversity of students from all types of backgrounds. They use logos and imagine ideal readers from the small and large strategies to persuade their main argument to their readers.

Analysis 

The University of Houston uses logos to prove that they want students who want to research, be leaders, have a career, embrace diversity, and students that are outgoing. They display a lot of data, statistics, numbers, and facts to prove to the readers of their main argument. On their website, the numbers stand out, they are very bold and big. They make the numbers stand out so the reader can have an idea that this is the type of student that they want. On the submenu for research, the website emphasizes that the University of Houston is the 1,075 ranked facility, they have $145 million in new awards, $203 million in research expenditures, and a total of 70 total winners of NSF career awards (1). 

The way that the website proves that it wants a diversity of students through logos is by providing facts from articles and newsletters provided on the website.  According to the website, In the article “UH Among the best in the nation for success of Hispanic Students” from Hispanic Outlook on Education Magazine they state that The University of Houston has been ranked among the top 100 Hispanic – Serving Institutions in the nation (1). The website provides this fact about the school’s diversity to show logos. The website wants the reader to know this is one of the best schools for diversity. The website implied in the article about Hispanic students that “ In the fall of 2020, the University served more than 15,600 Hispanic students” (1). This means that the University of Houston accepted a lot of Hispanic students into their school. This is one of the first sentences the author states in the article. The website observes that the article says “In the fall of 2020 more than 3,000 degrees were earned and The University of Houston Hispanic students earned the majority of those degrees”(1).  The website claims that a lot of degrees in 2020 were awarded to Hispanic students at the University of Houston(1). The website reports facts and data in that sentence to show that Hispanic students can succeed and get degrees at their schools (1). 

The website uses imagining ideal readers to prove to the readers of their main argument.  According to the website, The University of Houston’s ideal reader is students who are outgoing and do not mind living Downton (1). The website emphasizes that the University of Houston delivers a lot of opportunities for students to make new friends, and get involved with the community and many clubs while living in the city (1).  They have many different organizations for their students. A few organizations that the website confirms are “ A Cappella UH “, “Active Minds”,  “African Student Union”, “ AIESEC “ and many more (1).  The website points out that The University of Houston’s ideal reader is also a student who wants to have a career. According to the website “ UH graduate students prepare for dynamic careers” (1). The website confirms that they have many programs of study like undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, online, and counting education (1). This college has many different majors, minors, and programs to provide its ideal reader with many options for careers. 

Response 

If the University of Houston came down to Georgia I would attend the school. According to the website, the school is very compassionate and caring towards its students. A University that genuinely cares about its students is a huge factor for me. I love that the school has many research programs being that I am a pre-nursing student. I feel as if I could use those research programs to the best of my ability. The University of Houston is in the city and I honestly think that the city is very beautiful. I never lived downtown but I honestly would not mind. Even though I love being close to home I’m starting to feel like it’s time for me to expand. The school is very compassionate and caring is one of the main reasons why I would go to this college but I am not an outgoing person and this is what this college is looking for. I am very shy so it is hard for me to make friends but going to this school could help me grow out of my shell. This college can help me grow personally. This college would be very new to me but it can help me grow socially and mentally. It can help me meet new amazing people that can make a positive change in my life and their research programs can help me out mentally.

The University of Houston. Retrieved March 9, 2022, from https://uh.edu/

Summary

            The Paris College of Art is looking to nurture a seed of artistic potential by providing an opportunity for growth and experience in a city known for its authentic creative value. The ideal student should want to attend in order to refine their craft in an inspiring and unique environment. The college’s website makes this known by using Purpose and Imagining Ideal Readers as rhetorical strategies.

Analysis

            The Paris College of Art attracts their ideal students first by making their purpose clear and then by imagining what type of readers would come to their website. PCA’s goal is to encourage culturally diverse and creative students to apply to their school. Under their Admissions tab titled “Become a Paris College of Art Student”, they give the reader a feeling of inclusivity by making them feel welcome to apply. The first sentence of this page states “Choosing the right school requires getting to know a school as well as you can before and during the application process” (PCA 1). Their purpose here is promote prospective students to learn more about the school beforehand by attending virtual tours and open houses. Links to sign up for these events are displayed in large buttons underneath the text meant to capture the reader’s attention. In doing this, they are confident about their campus and what they offer. They know that once students partake in these opportunities, they will feel excited and confident in becoming enrolled at this university. Found under the Student Life tab, PCA boasts that “More than forty countries are represented in the Paris College of Art student population, bringing to this small community a cultural diversity rare among art education institutions” (PCA 1). Diversity is their top attraction as a tool for gaining new students. After all, Paris is a European hub for people coming from many different walks of life. Paired with this block of text is a collection of diagrams and graphs explaining various student identities and backgrounds on campus. Their goal with this to show that no matter where someone comes from in the world, they are invited to join the mix. To continue the previous quote, PCA ends their statement by saying “This, combined with a location at the crossroads of Europe, makes studying at Paris College of Art a uniquely rich experience for young artists and designers” (PCA 1). It is important to note that they are proud of the location in which the school resides. The campus alone is grounds for inspiration. They want readers to know that Paris, being a huge city popular for creative movements, is the perfect place for young artists to find themselves and the niche best suited for them.

             Moving on to Imagining Ideal Readers, right off the bat one can gather that PCA is geared towards English speakers. This is an international university based in France, but the website is only in English. There isn’t even a button found anywhere that can switch the language settings. Paris college of art displays picture slides on their homepage. There is a statement on the first slide that reads “Paris College of Art is an international college with US degree-granting authority and accreditation from the national association of schools of art and design (NASAD)” (PCA 1). This shows that while they are diverse, it is largely leaning towards Americans seeking opportunities abroad. They also have French accreditation through the French Ministry of Accreditation. It is not however highlighted on the forefront of their main page: rather someone would have to dig to find this information.

            Another ideal reader they imagine would be people who have demonstrated previous artistic talent. In the Admissions section, it was made clear that students need a portfolio to apply. They have a link to an online portfolio workshop implying that this “ideal young artist” possibly would not know how to present their work. PCA is very supportive in their application process to attract someone who might be shy in their craft and relatively new to any kind of exposure. This comes in contrast to some other art institutions that are extremely exclusive and have high expectations for applicants.

           PCA also has photos and videos of students on campus to attract similar perspective students that might come across their website. Videos feature young people from various countries (for example there was a girl from Sweden and another from India) saying what program they are taking an interest in (PCA 1). All the media shown is very light and airy, showing art supplies, studios, and historic architecture. This is a place for students to work with their hands and become inspired. PCA wants to connect with the creative thinker and persuade them that this school is where they belong.

College girl in Paris Photo by Mika Baumeister

Response

            This university was successful in the plain fact that their persuasive methods worked on me. I would love to attend this institution. Three of my values from the in-class writing include “success”, “personal growth”, and “peace”. The alumni from PCA seem to have really interesting life paths after obtaining their education. They dabble in a variety of mediums including design, photography, fashion, marketing etc. They are also all located in different cities around the world. That is the perfect depiction of the successful future I see myself having. I want to always be on the go, embarking on some new adventure. Exposing myself to different cultures and ways of thinking puts me on an international level not only career wise, but also in contribution to my personal growth. When I say peace, I know that sounds very simple and easily obtained, but in my life, I had to work to value the importance of that principle. To me that includes my physical environment and my mental headspace in which go hand in hand. In order for me to create art and reach my full potential, I need peace. The Paris College of Art exudes that with their bright spacious studio classrooms and freedom of expression. I don’t want to go to this school for the soul purpose of getting a job. I want to attend this university to expose myself to what it would be like to do what I love and PCA’s strategies convince me that at their school, what I want is possible.

Work cited

Paris College of Art. PCA. Retrieved March 9, 2022, from https://www.paris.edu/

Laila A. Thurman

Professor Weaver

English 1102 Section 298 

7 March 2022

Summary

The Fashion Institute of Art and Design looks for students who are innovative and aspire to not only participate in the fashion and design industries but lead them on the global stage. Students with these characteristics should attend this school to connect with industry leaders and network with peers, alumni, and affiliated organizations. This institute structures its website to speak directly to those who appreciate the finer things in life and implements the rhetorical strategy of Kairos to appeal to modern students.

Analysis  

On the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising’s website, there is a lot of information for prospective students to sift through. The website speaks of its Los Angeles campus, its mission to promote sustainable practices, connections to the fashion industry, and alumni success stories. As stated in the previous paragraph, the website’s structure is used to speak directly to the hearts of students who appreciate refined designs. Bold colors and simplistic page components help the institution ‘pop’ and remain in the mind of students who can see themselves as leaders and global influencers within the art, design, fashion, and entertainment industries.

At its core, FIDM is an art school. It speaks to those who are creative and who think outside the box. Its advertising reflects this, which is why the FIDM Look Book exists. The Look Book is the best place to begin speaking about structure. According to the FIDM, the Look Book helps prospective students “learn more about what it’s like to be a student at FIDM.” (fidm.edu, Look Book 2021) This Look Book offers a glimpse into life inside the institution and provides well-organized layouts to appeal to those with an eye for design. The aesthetically pleasing pages provide an average amount of information, but it isn’t the information that’s important here. At least not the written kind. The design of the look book, its structure, is organized with several eye-catching components at the forefront. Large photos of Los Angeles, candid photos of students working, and photos of brand collaborations and work opportunities fill the pages and allow students to visualize themselves at the school.

All of the information inside the FIDM Look Book can be found on the institution’s website. However, the organization of the lookbook is much more detailed, acting as an advertisement for the benefits of attending FIDM. It is important to remember that this is an institute of design and merchandising. Every decision made on the website and the accompanying materials is likely made by professionals who work at or with the school. These professionals know how to grab an audience’s attention and use their structuring to guide that audience where they need to go. In this case, the audience is directed towards the Look Book and other colorful parts of the website instead of the deeper information such as pricing, education, and financial aid.

Moving past the website’s design, the next way the structure is used to influence students is through the organization of the website’s success stories page. For context, the website’s mission statement states, “FIDM Graduates embrace cultural diversity and ethical choice while advancing the well-being of their communities.” (fidm.edu, About) The structure of this page provides evidence that supports this statement. By starting with a graduate named Robin Coté, who hosted the Indigen-US fashion show on March 5, 2022, the web page does its best to highlight the different successes of BIPOC students and alumni along with students from other marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community. Coté, who, according to the FIDM website is, “… from the Cote First Nations, which is located in Saskatchewan, Canada,” is a Native American graduate. (fidm.edu, Success Stories) She, along with other alumni such as James Flemons and Sarah Choi, are able to show FIDM’s fulfillment of their mission statement along with their alumni connection and networking opportunities. (fidm.edu, Success Stories)

Outside of structure, FIDM also takes great care to utilize the rhetorical strategy of Kairos. According to Elizabeth Losh and Jonathan Alexander, authors of Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing, Kairos is “a larger rhetorical strategy that focuses on Awareness of the appropriate timing, occasion, or opportunity for a given rhetorical act.” Most examples of this strategy are located within the look book, but a few managed to sneak inside the campus life section of the website.

Starting with the sustainability section of the lookbook, it can be assumed that FIDM’s focus on this practice stems from the popularization of sustainable fashion and climate activism. People (both prospective students and others) have begun to criticize the wastefulness of industries involved in fashion and design. By placing information about sustainability on a spread dedicated entirely to showcasing the institution’s commitment, FIDM aims to entice those aware of the damages caused by plastic packaging and exploitative trade. (FIDM Look Book, 32) As of right now, with climate change and other global emergencies, the emphasis placed on sustainability and ethicality has become mainstream.

Following the sustainability section of the look book comes the website’s global industry practice. As stated in the FIDM’s mission statement, “FIDM’s engaging learning environment and rigorous programs of study develop graduates who become leaders in the industries of global design and business.” (fidm.edu, About) It is no secret that global trade networks make the world go round, and fashion has always been a field that thrived from globalization. FIDM makes sure to recognize that history as they advertise the benefits of attending their institution. The goal of FIDM is to attract students who have the potential to become leaders in their respective industries. These students connect with FIDM’s alumni success stories and are then influenced by that success to apply.

Response

 Personally, I would not attend FIDM. Even if the school was affordable and the campus was located in Georgia, it would be a waste of time without an interest in fashion, design, or merchandising. Even if I was interested in the majors at this school, FIDM’s status as a for-profit university makes me wary. While FIDM does a lot more for its students than most institutions like it, they still hide a lot of information behind a difficult-to-navigate website. They invest in internships, scholarships, supplies, and physical campus, and I know they partner with GUESS to study sustainability. But, outside of their brag sheet, it’s hard to find facts like average GPA, graduation rate, retention rate, and classes offered within majors. Overall, they have an impressive catalog of benefits. However, the difficult-to-navigate website is impossible to ignore. In the end, FIDM is an impressive school. The students it promotes seem to be happy and satisfied with their education. Though nontraditional, the alumni showcased on the success stories website lead me to believe that it fulfills and promotes growth for many of those who choose to attend. Finally, FIDM lacks a student community due to its campus living situation. Community is one of my most important values because those who surround you support you. Since there is no community formed at this university, there is no established support group, which is another nail in the coffin. Even in a perfect world, I would continue to have no interest in attending FIDM.

Works Cited 

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. “Your Storybegins Here.” FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, https://fidm.edu/.

“FIDM Home Page.” FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, https://fidm.edu/.

Losh, Elizabeth M., et al. Understanding Rhetoric: A Graphic Guide to Writing. Bedford/St. Martin’s, Macmillan Learning, 2021.

                                                                               Summary

“Stanford University” by YS is licensed under Unsplash.

On its website, Stanford University introduces its programs and history since they were founded by Leland and Jane Stanford in memory of their only child, Leland Stanford Jr.  From their reputation and campus introduction, Stanford University holds creative, outstanding, and demanding curriculums that promote entrepreneurialism. This proves Stanford University, “the Harvard of the 21st century” by Slate, to be the best university out there for those selective students who want to pursue an impressive education, capable of nurturing “a strong venture culture.”

                                         Analysis

Stanford University uses ethos and imagining ideal readers to persuade their readers. They write the website “Stanford University” on the Wikipedia page to convey they are the best university compared to other universities. To persuade their greatness to the reader, Stanford University provides facts that increase their reputation in the world of education.

As of ethos strategy, Stanford University provides evidence of when Frederick Terman, father of Silicon Valley, supported the local industry entrepreneurialism at Stanford during its time in financial crisis back in World War II (SU, Introduction). The support he made to the students and faculties led to the foundation of the greatest cradle of innovation called Silicon Valley. This story uses the ethos strategy by increasing the credibility of Stanford University.

“Stanford University” by daybreakwithray is licensed under Unsplash.

As of April 2021, Stanford has produced lots of notable people which includes “85 Nobel laureates, 29 Turing Award laureates, and eight Fields Medalists” (SU, Introduction). It shows the success of its students, alumni, faculty, and staff which causes people to believe that entering this school will make them notable as well. This makes the university trustworthy in an education matter.

Further from those successful ones, there are companies such as Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn, Instagram, Cisco, Snapchat, and Coursera which are built with a closer association to Stanford University (SU, Businesses and entrepreneurship). This implies that Stanford University has the resources and culture to help people succeed, which makes the university attractive to start-ups. These appeal to the readers which increases the authority and credibility of the school using ethos strategy.

“Stanford University” by Jeremy-Bezanger is licensed under Unsplash.

Moving on from science, Stanford has also built a reputation in athletics. According to Stanford University, “[They] have won 137 NCAA team championships, more than any other university, and were awarded the NACDA Directors’ Cup for 25 consecutive years, beginning in 1994–1995. In addition, by 2021, Stanford students and alumni had won at least 296 Olympic medals including 150 gold medals” (SU, Athletics). These victories show that Stanford is the right place for those who want to pursue athletics as a career. This fact persuades students who want a good experience in athletics because the school has good credibility in the sport.

Furthermore, Stanford used imagining ideal readers, who are likely to be convinced by the idea that Stanford University is a good fit for them, strategy to persuade their readers. In their overall argument, they have created an image that creative, hardworking, and outstanding are their ideal prospective student. However, in a paragraph sense, Stanford has proposed the type of student they are expecting.

According to Stanford, the six-year graduation rate is about 20% higher than the four-year graduation rate because of the university’s coterminal program which provides students with a master’s degree by extending 1-2 years from their undergraduate degree (SU, Student body). Most of Stanford’s undergraduates choose a coterminal degree that helps them get their master’s degree by increasing their graduation year by one. This idea puts an imaginary ideal reader of whom want to complete their master’s degree by using the coterminal degree program Stanford provides are most of their students.

When spanning our attention to the social group, Stanford has a “Groups span athletics and recreation, careers/pre-professional, community service, ethnic/cultural, fraternities and sororities, health and counseling, media and publications, the arts, political and social awareness, and religious and philosophical organizations” (SU, Student groups). Social groups at Stanford are vast, making it easy to find one interest among them. But what makes Stanford’s social group interesting from other universities/colleges?

“Stanford University” by Jeremy-Bezanger is licensed under Unsplash.

In contrast to other colleges, Stanford has a policy that any individual interested in a group must have an open opportunity to join the club (SU, Social group). A policy that abides with their motto “The wind of freedom blows” (SU, motto). Stanford, in contrast to other colleges, is a great place to join a group of one’s interest without the restriction from its group members. This provides an image of Stanford’s strong community and a collaborative environment culture which in turn provides their imagining ideal reader while writing this website.

As evidence for the freedom of social groups, Stanford is home to a set of student journalism publications like The Fountain Hopper which tells about the Brock Turner story that reports about the sexual attempt of a freshman man to a sophomore woman at Stanford University (SU, Student group). Stanford is a place where freedom of speech is not restricted. The use of this sentence is intended to provide an imaging ideal reader for students who want to be a journalist and have journalist experience in a university that respects their freedom of the press.

When all is said and done, Stanford University uses ethos and imagining ideal reader strategies to persuade its ideal prospective students that it is the best university out there. Stanford uses ethos to increase its credibility to be trustworthy in the further details it provides. Furthermore, they use imagining ideal readers to increase students who apply to the university.

                                      Response

When I was a child, I was optimistic about the future since friction in life was rare. But as I began to grow up, it became harder to believe the future is promising because of all the challenges I have to face. Nevertheless, I believe that even if there is a challenge coming my way, if I have the “audacity to hope”, I can see a light in the darkness.

Stanford University holds a similar value. The university stayed optimistic even at the time of its financial crisis period in 1893 when the founder, Leland Stanford, died. This demonstrates the fact that the university stayed firm despite its challenges.

“Stanford University” by Allen Gong is licensed under Unsplash.

They did that by supporting the local industry to be entrepreneurs. Now, they have become a great place for innovation that changed the game for the whole world. Google, for instance, was a research project created and funded by Stanford University. Now, Google gives us information from any place on the earth as long as we are connected to the internet or not banned by the government.

As a student, I am enthralled by a university that has a culture of hope in the things they do. A belief in a good and bright future is the value I want to see from a university that I could possibly attend. So, if given the chance to attend this great university, I would not turn a blind eye to make this decision, I would join Stanford University.

                                 Works Cited

“Stanford University.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 8 Mar. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_University.

Summary

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private, non-profit university located in Daytona Beach, Florida. The university is known for its aviation and aerospace engineering programs. Their website seems to be directed towards students who are driven, curious, and planning to pursue careers in aviation or engineering. ERAU uses the “emotional tone” APATSARC strategy and “imagining ideal readers” as their larger rhetorical strategy.

Analysis

The APATSARC strategy that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University uses the most on their website is emotional tone, and they imagine ideal readers as their larger rhetorical strategy. On their website, ERAU takes a very welcoming and confident approach towards their readers. They show many pictures, articles, and videos of the accomplishments made by their faculty members or students. Bold headlines like “’Gregory, Lyrintzis Named ‘Among the Best Minds in Aerospace’” (Pinholster), or “Reaching the Red Planet: Eagles Build Instruments for Mars- Bound Satellites” (Cavaliere) were placed on the home page of their website. By displaying these headlines on their home page, readers can tell that if they were to attend ERAU, they’d be part of a very proud and successful community. They also present many impressive pictures of students doing things like lab work, testing model airplanes, building robots, and competing.   

Although ERAU used emotional tone as their argumentative strategy, they don’t necessarily present their university in a heartfelt manner. There weren’t any sentimental  articles or pictures on their website. Instead, ERAU structured their website to create feelings of inspiration and welcome in their readers. Their “Values, Mission, and Vision” page is emblematic of this. While analyzing ERAU’s mission statement for emotional undertones, small words and phrases began to stand out. Some apparent ones were “…in a culturally diverse community that supports the unique needs of each individual”, “Embry-Riddle will be the source for innovation and excellence…”, and “We will be the unquestioned global leader…” (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University). To a student who might be interested in applying to ERAU, the website presents the university as welcoming, diverse, innovative, and community-oriented. It displays students as proud Eagles (ERAU’s spirit animal), the faculty as upbeat and helpful, and the campus as spacious and lively. As a result, students feel urged to apply.     

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University imagines ideal readers as their larger rhetorical strategy. When analyzing their website in a more general sense, it becomes clear that they’re targeting a specific kind of student. Namely, students pursuing degrees in aviation or aerospace engineering. Even though ERAU offers other programs such as biology, astronomy, business, and art, aviation and engineering programs are their main focuses, as stated on their “Values, Mission, and Vision” page. It reads “ Our mission is to teach the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace engineering” (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University). These programs are also the ones most represented in their articles and pictures. On their home page, they proudly state that Embry-Riddle has 9 top ten spots in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 rankings. They placed fifth in best aerospace engineering programs, as well as most innovative schools nationwide. 

In connection to aviation and engineering students, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has another kind of ideal reader: students who believe in collaboration, ethicality, and innovation. They make it clear that they want curious, determined, problem-solving students. This also connects to ERAU’s specialty in aviation and aerospace engineering programs. The skills they want their students to have are ones that are important in those fields. 

To summarise, Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University uses the APATSARC element “emotional tone”, and the larger rhetorical strategy “imagining ideal readers” to attract and persuade their ideal students to apply. Through analyzing ERAU’s website, the congruence of the two strategies becomes noticeable. They use emotional tone by displaying  inspirational phrases, pictures, rankings, and headlines that represent the school’s overall success to grasp the attention of their ideal student: aviation and aerospace engineering students.

Response 

If all barriers were uplifted, I would definitely apply to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. They have awesome programs, faculty members, research opportunities, and campus resources. If I were an interested student looking through their website, I would feel welcomed, and I’d consider applying. Their mission statement page shows that they’re confident in the community they’ve created and the discoveries made by their students. That’s something anyone would be interested in being a part of.  

One thing that really stood out to me is the different hands-on opportunities that ERAU provides to students. They have a variety of labs, research projects, and competitions. The number of resources and equipment they invest in shows how much they value discovery. Another reason why I would apply to Embry-Riddle is that they have really nice weather throughout most of the year. Their Daytona campus is 2 miles away from Daytona Beach, which means that they receive more than 230 sunny days in a year on average. Although tropical weather is bound to bring in heavy rainstorms and hurricanes, it’s still a risk worth taking. Lastly, I would attend ERAU because of its value for community and involvement. They have plenty of clubs and social events, which I think is really cool. All in all, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univerity seems like a pretty decent school, and I’d go if there weren’t any obstacles. 

Works Cited

Cavaliere, Mike. “Reaching the Red Planet: Eagles Build Instruments for Mars-Bound Satellites”, 13, Dec. 2021, https://news.erau.edu/headlines/eagles-build-instruments-for-mars-bound-satellites

Pinholster, Ginger. “Gregory, Lyrintzis Named ‘Among the Best Minds in Aerospace”, 01, Feb. 2022, https://news.erau.edu/headlines/gregory-lyrintzis-named-among-the-best-minds-in-aerospace

“Values, Mission, and Vision”, https://erau.edu/leadership/president/values-mission-and-vision

Emily Perales                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Engl 1102+ Section 298 –Professor, Weaver                                                                                                                                       Assignment: Major Project 3: Summary, Analysis, and Response essay                                                                                                           Due: 3/9/22 
email address: eperales2@student.gsu.edu 

Summary:  

Founded in 1902, Fort Hays State is a public university located in Kansas, United States. FHSU is a large regional public university whose education and staff are dedicated to teaching and mentoring students with programs and resources. FHSU is looking for students who show to do good in school. 95% of students at FHSU secure jobs or higher education opportunities, which is an example of logos, since they use logical reasoning.  FHSU website also uses “Imagining Ideal Readers,” because based on their requirements they imagine students who demonstrate academic success applying to their school. 

Analysis:  

Fort Hays State University strives to have students who achieve academic success. They are looking for students who have proven themselves to be dedicated workers in school and who will continue to do so. The requirements prospective students need to have is a GPA of 2.25 or higher and a minimum ACT test score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1080 or higher. And their cost of attendance for Kansas residents is $5,443.80. FHSU website has a lot of great ways and strategies to persuade prospective students to attend their university. One of the ways they persuade students to go to their school is by using the APATSARC strategy, Logos. For example, in their website it states that “A remarkable 95% of FHSU students secure jobs or higher education opportunities after they graduate” (FHSU- About page,2022). Which is a great piece of evidence that uses logical reasoning to persuade students that there is a good chance that they will get a decent job opportunity once they graduate from FHSU.

Fort Hays State University also used logos when they stated that “$59 million in financial aid is awarded is awarded annually”(FHSU- Academics page, 2022). Which is a way of convincing prospective students that they will most likely get financial assistance. One of the requirements on the website is, “Have a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher on a scale of 4.00″ (FHSU- Admissions page, 2022). Which means that students who visit the FHSU website and have a 2.25 GPA or higher are more likely to be persuaded to apply. Another strategy Fort Hays State University uses “Imagining ideal readers” to persuade prospective students because when they wrote about the requirements, they knew that the prospective students reading them were either going to be affected or persuaded by the requirements needed. 

FHSU also states that “Fort Hays State University is proud to offer an immersive, advanced education to hard-working individuals who wish to grow their opportunities for tomorrow” (FHSU-Academics home page, 2022). FHSU was thinking about prospective students who know that they do good academically and show effort that they do work hard in school. And a student who has the ideal required ACT/SAT scores, which can be used to help them with scholarship awards, are likely to be persuaded as well. Since students can get scholarships that can help them financially just because they do well on their test scores. On the other hand, students who do not meet that GPA requirement are most likely to be affected when applying to FHSU because they will be upset that they have a disadvantage when it comes to applying.  

Fort Hays State University also has a section in their website called “Success Stories,” that shows their graduates stories and their experiences at FHSU. For example, they interviewed a girl named Remington that graduated in 2019 and they asked her “Why FHSU?” (FHSU, Success stories page). and she responds with “Not only were the professors caring, but other students and staff welcomed me as well, Fort Hays now feels like a family to me”(Remington – FHSU, Success stories page, 2018). This is an example of how their website uses a graduated student’s experience, to show prospective students that Fort Hays State University is a welcoming University that cares about their students and staff. They also asked her “What advice would you give the class of 2023?”(FHSU, Success stories page, 2018) and she responded with “Some of my best college memories came from taking classes and joining organizations that I did not initially consider”. College is a time for exploration.”(Remington – FHSU, Success stories page, 2018). The university’s website does an excellent job at persuading prospective students to apply to FHSU because this shows students how if they join the schools’ organizations, they can make the best memories of their college experience at Fort Hays State University.  

Response:   

I would go to Fort hays State University if it were in Georgia and if money were not an issue. I like how the University feels so welcoming through their website. FHSU has many resources to make students’ college experience easier and memorable. In addition, I meet one of their requirements, which is a 2.25 grade point average or higher. I think being in an environment where people care about your well-being is really important to me because I work better and do better. One of the most important values in my life is my well-being because I’m someone who has always struggled with stress and anxiety. So, the fact that FHSU has a Health and wellness services program to help students with their problems is what caught my attention for example FHSU states that, “We offer therapy services to help with a wide range of mental health concerns including stress, anxiety, depression, college transition, drug and alcohol use, grief, and relationship issues”( FHSU- Health and Wellness services page, 2022) Which I thought was nice, because not a lot of universities offer that kind of help, they don’t think about the challenges students have to go through.  

This just shows that FHSU not only cares about their student’s education but their well-being as well. I feel like my well-being is really important for me because feeling good about myself can help me have more motivation, especially in my academic performance. I think the key to living a good life is to just be happy and healthy. Being a university/college student can be stressful, so the fact that Fort Hays State University offers help for things I struggle with, such as stress and anxiety, persuaded me to want to go there. Therefore, I would go to Fort Hays State University if it were in Georgia and if money were not an issue because it is wonderful place for students to learn. And because FHSU also prioritized their students’ well-being which is one of my most important values in life.   

 Citations: 

“About FHSU – Fort Hays State University.” Fort Hays State University,  

 www.fhsu.edu/about , Accessed 8 Mar. 2022.  

” Health and wellness services – Fort hays state University.”  https://www.fhsu.edu/health-and-wellness/

“Academic FHSU- Fort Hays State University.”  https://www.fhsu.edu/academic/

“Admissions FHSU- Fort Hays State University.” https://www.fhsu.edu/admissions/admissions-application/