Dear College Dean:

It is my understanding that this college has received a large donation to be used to enhance the quality of life for students: expand the bookstore or add computers to the computer lab.  It is the tradition of this school to promote education and to be at the vanguard of new technology.  That is why I strongly argue in favor of the addition of more computers to the computer lab.

Although expanding the campus bookstore to include CD's, gifts, and a snack bar will give a nicer look to the college, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for students.  What do we want for our students and our college?  Do we want our college to be known as a place with a great bookstore where you can find CD's and gifts, or as a place where the students can explore and research in their field using the best tools provided by technology?  In addition, there are already several snack bars on campus, and there are music stores nearby, so students do not depend on the college bookstore for these things.

We live in a highly technological world and computers play an increasingly important role in how we live. As a learning institution, this college has the responsibility to offer its students the best technology to help them prepare for their future.  Many students will be expected to be familiar with the latest software and other tools when they go on to work or to graduate school.

While they are in college, students find they are expected to use computers.  Many professors expect students to use computers to do homework or to complete projects.  Students are asked to create PowerPoint presentations and use spreadsheets and database programs, as well as to research many topics on the internet.  Since students are competing for good grades, those who have limited access to computers are at a great disadvantage.  Furthermore, being able to do projects using the computer enhances the process of learning, giving students the opportunity to find information that without a computer would be much more difficult to find.

If there are more computers, students will also be able to complete their work more efficiently.  No more will they have to wait in line, paper and disk in hand, while scanning the room for an empty chair and computer.  No longer will they have to sit and wait while an outdated computer struggles to follow their commands.  Having more new and faster computers available will enable students to finish their work more quickly.

The more computers are used in society the more colleges will depend on them as a tool of teaching and learning.  Making computers more available to students facilitates their learning process by making the process easier, more interesting, more engaging, and in the process enhancing their quality of life.

This paper takes a clear position on the issue described in the prompt and supports that position with a counterargument and several positive arguments.  The counterargument is handled effectively: the writer acknowledges the value of having a nice bookstore, but then explains why that is less important than adding computers.  The writer's supporting points include some good detail, particularly in the fourth paragraph.  Organization is clear without being overly obvious, and transitions are used effectively to help the reader understand connections among ideas.  The paper has good sentence variety and the writer handles complex sentence structures extremely well.  Well-chosen words, correct grammar, usage, and mechanics not only show the writer's grasp of standard edited English but also the writer's ability to use sophisticated structures that serve the rhetorical purpose: e.g., the two rhetorical questions in the second paragraph, the repeated structures in the fifth paragraph ("No more will they have to wait in line," "No longer will they have to sit and wait").

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