Should College Education Be Free?
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Should College Education Be Free?
Many students worldwide struggle with the costs of attending college. It is worth noting that in the United States alone, the cost of attending college rapidly increases faster than the rate of inflation. Generally, providing a debt-free education also positively impacts society (Delisle & Cooper, 2020). Recent studies reveal that giving free college is vital for economic recovery, noting the current financial constraints and unemployment rate. This draft appreciates the importance of education in an individual’s life. For these reasons, this draft presents three main reasons college education should be free.
- Free college education potentially closes the opportunity gap. Often, it is challenging for students from low-income families to access scholarships and financial aids necessary to support their college learning. In particular, the United States higher education system most certainly have a vast opportunity gap. Especially considering the adage, “it takes money to make money”. Consequently, it is difficult for low-income students to afford college (Harris, 2021). Therefore, availing of a universal free college would significantly help those students without existing aid options. It is worth noting that some critics disapprove, arguing that free college would potentially help the wealthy more than the poor. They support this argument because only a small percentage of low-income students manage to graduate. However, that statistic could also change by reducing the costs of accessing college learning.
- College education builds a better future. In the United States, college is the de facto means of social mobility. That implies that it propels the majority of graduates into middle-class jobs. Consequently, people should have access to higher education opportunities for the colleges to match their potential as a powerful equalizer. Notably, the basic qualifications for many jobs in the United States require bachelor’s degrees. Consequently, high school diplomas have become obsolete over the years. For instance, Morley Winograd states, “To have a real shot at a job in those sectors, workers need a college credential of some form such as an industry-recognized skills certificate or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.” (Commentaries, n.d.) Even though k-12 education is free, postsecondary education in the United States is costly. Consequently, most college students resort to seeking loans which leads to most of them defaulting.
- Boosting the economy. Many critics of free college argue that the existing system has not slowed down the growth of education in America. However, proponents emphasize that availing of free education will lead to rapid progress in America. For instance, due to the free education provided by the G.I. bill, many veterans—over two million— managed to attend college. Consequently, the postwar economy was boosted due to this investment in education. Therefore, the United States needs to adopt programs that offer tuition-free college to students. In particular, more states should consider such programs to help individuals who suffer from COVID-19. Michigan is an example of a state that implements a similar initiative that offers to select workers free community college—Michigan’s futures for frontliners program (Staff Writers, 2021). However, the program is provided at a small scale which is not enough to create a lasting impact. Consequently, many proponents of free college education argue that the United States may lag if it does not significantly expand access to higher education.
References
Commentaries, E. (n.d.). Tuition-free college is critical to our economy. EdSource. Retrieved April 20, 2022, from https://edsource.org/2020/tuition-free-college-is-critical-to-our-economy/641232
Delisle, J. D., & Cooper, P. (2020). Free college and the debt-free fantasy. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED606290.pdf
Harris, D. N. (2021, May 10). Is free college a good idea? Increasingly, evidence says yes. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2021/05/10/is-free-college-a-good-idea-increasingly-evidence-says-yes/
Staff Writers. (2021, March 1). Should college be free? BestColleges.Com. https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/analysis/2021/03/01/should-college-be-free/
