Date: 23 January 2013

To: Ms. Barbara Bolt, Instructor

From: Linh Le

Subject: Response Memo Assignment

The following document is a response to Bill Gates’ review of the book Academically Adrift that raises questions and issues about U.S. education system.

Gates’ Point of View
Bill Gates’ review of Academically Adrift was very thought provoking. I liked that he was not bias and did not just lean towards one side of the argument but equally expressed his thoughts of the book and the education system in general. It made me question why and how our education system gets to this point where students are falling behind in critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing skills.
Bill Gates supported his argument with details and data from the book. He mentioned that the “dismal results presented in the book were based on a standardized test that asked students to make practical decisions.”
I think his comments are relevant because his opinions are based on what was mentioned in the book. For example, Gates mentioned “how the authors gathered thousands of data points and different variables” that are “supposed” to explain why learning is so limited, but those numbers did not make much difference.
My Background
I decided to go to college because I want to have a stable future. I wanted to be able to get a decent job to support my family and me. My parents have worked very hard to bring my siblings and I to the United States to receive a better education and I wanted to make them proud by continuing higher education. I believe getting a college education is very important; it sets you apart in the competitive world when finding a job.
From my personal experience, I took IB and AP classes in high school, so coming to college I felt really prepared. Other students are less fortunate and do not have the programs like IB and AP that allows