Should The Government Receive The Cost Of College?

Should college be free? A current universal problem poses this question. In today’s world, full of public education standards that hold students maybe too high and in a generation bogged down by student debt, this issue qualifies as a problem more than many are maybe even willing to admit. While the prospect of free college proposes excellent ideals such as a stronger and smarter generation, no student loan problems, and a higher educated society, the truth may actually lie in the reality that making college free would do more hindrance than good and is not the answer to these problems. Free college would increase economic problems, according to Andrew P. Kelly, who says it would only shifts the cost to someone else. As well, it would also hinder our education system. Michael J. Petrilli writes that making college free would “probably shift billions of dollars a year from programs that help talented poor kids access higher education and improve our schools”. Although the concept of free higher education is becoming appealing to the general population, it ultimately would create more problems than it solved and do virtually nothing of huge significance to increase the level of intelligence in modern society.

In the last decade, students and parents alike have begun to question the effectiveness of receiving a college education. Stories of students graduating college with outstanding student loans, being unable to find a job, or feeling overqualified for a position continually increase. In the same manner, the number of students apprehensive about refraining from entering the workforce for an additional four years while simultaneously spending thousands of dollars for an education that in the end may not assure them a job with an adequate income, increases. The issue then is to determine whether or not the cost of college is worth the outcome.

We have all heard the term, “school is not for everyone” and that is true. Most of our society does not even want to attend college and just enter the workforce after high school. According to National Center for Education Statistics,” About 7.0 million students will attend 2-year institutions and 13.2 million will attend 4-year institutions in fall 2015.” But if college was free for everyone, people would have a choice to go to college. Our society would be more productive if our workforce was educated. In the article titled “Higher education: Should college be free for all?” Carol Christ makes a point by saying, “But individuals are not the only ones who profit from college; the nation, and the states that compose it, benefit from a more skilled and educated workforce and the

A college education is proven to increase an individual 's earnings, however, women’s earnings are still not as much as men’s, even when they have the same degree (Patten, 2015).

According to USA Today, In 2017, the graduating class of colleges will come out with a four year degree and close to $30,000 of debt from student loans (“The Average Student Loan Debt in Every State”). The idea of free college was recently brought up in the 2017 presidential campaign by Bernie Sanders. He made it clear that if he became president, he would use the taxpayers money to make college free. College should be free to attend due to the fact that people who may be smarter than others may not be able to attend college because of their lack of income, U.S. tax dollars could fund tuition payments, and it will help our workforce by adding more people with degrees into it.

Tuition fees have always been a complaint to people who are paying and attending college, most say it is too expensive, some say it should be free. Is that a good way to go? Making college something that anyone could attend? Some say that free college would allow students that are less fortunate, wealth wise, to attend college and have hope for a better future. College plays a very important role in the economy and in my opinion, I certainly believe that college tuition is there for certain reasons. The reasons for high tuition costs will not be discussed but the reason for it will be: Making tuition free would cause taxes to rise significantly due to the government owning higher education, It would feel like public high school again, having no motivation to do anything, Free higher education still wouldn’t get everyone to go to college. At first, free education sounds nice because of european countries doing it, but in turn, it would ruin our country as a whole.

As the price to attend college increases throughout the years many young adults are experiencing increasing difficulty in being able to pay for such an endeavor and many more are beginning to question whether or not it’s worth the price due to the faltering of the economy. The price tag may be the most common concern about getting a college education but another important factor that many students consider when applying for college is how much time they will need to devote to school. Many prospective students think that the time spent in a college math class is a waste when they are majoring in the arts. This results in many students deciding against getting a college education in favor for finding a source of income to support themselves and due to the lack of employment opportunities available today the decision to choose an income over an education is really a matter of survival. However, this is the beginning of a slippery slope that can easily lead to a population that is severely lacking in education which can lead to a disaster in a country where the nations populace are the ones making decisions with their vote. I believe it is time to make education not only cheaper, but more accessible to more people across the country by eliminating course requirements and majors in order to allow students to seek out an education that is tailored to the subject they are seeking to pursue. Doing so will not only result in a lower cost of college by eliminating useless and

There are many choices and paths to choose when the time comes to attend college however, a question to ask is, is it worth it? If decided to attend college, the following decision to be made revolves around an area of study one would like to pursue and the topic of study that will be available for them. Though many can further their education in different ways, a couple of ways consist of attending a four year college (private/ public) or a community college. Not going to college at all is the other alternative, but is it really a smart idea? Most adults have continuously told young students all through high school to attend college. A student’s chance of economic success in the future can be risen due to a college education. Judith Scott-Clayton, who is an assistant professor of economics and education at Teachers College at Columbia University states, “Individuals with bachelor’s degrees earn about 60 percent more than those with just a high school diploma, who in turn earn about 40 percent more than high school dropouts.” Students who seek higher education, are more likely to experience a better future and a better life. The cost of going to college may seem overwhelming at times however, the experiences and education obtained throughout college is priceless in regards to the way one interacts with others on a global basis, has a stronger job stability, and has better employment benefits.

According to Dan Lips, (an analyst at the Heritage foundation) tuition and fees of public colleges have had over a 125% increase since 1986. This is the direct result of government subsidies that try to make college “affordable”. Doing more harm than good, these subsidies have been giving power to colleges and universities so that they could raise tuition every year because these institutions have few reasons to keep cost low to attract students.

College is extremely costly and continues growing every year. John W. Schoen explained that, “The average cost of tuition and fees at a private, nonprofit, four-year university this school year was $31,231-up sharply from $1,832 in 1971-1972...” This economic jump is extreme. People are paying around $31,231 to go to college; money that is being completely wasted. “If you look at the long-term trend, [college tuition] has been rising almost six percent...” said Ray Franke. College pricing is not going down anytime soon. College costs more and grows more expensive faster than the average person can make. This brings immeasurable debt.

College education should not be free because it would raise the taxes of all American citizens. Many of the major supporters of free college education don't consider where the money to pay for a higher education at a state-of-the art institution is actually going to come from when it's no longer them. The answer is simple: hard-working American taxpayers. These extravagant plans that everyone supports never exactly tell us where the money is going to come from. If they did, they probably wouldn’t have as much support. Instead, they’re masked by the publicity and benevolence of the one proposing such a gracious plan (Welch 32). In the article “Bernie’s Bad Ideas,” Matt Welch discusses that the idea

Free college is a commonly accepted idea, as a crucial part of society's advancement. Education is the foundation for building a strong country, as knowledge is what allows for productivity in all areas of life. However, the cost and accessibility to standard higher education limits many people's availability to a quality schooling. Some may argue that public colleges should continue to charge tuition, as the federal government can not afford the cost nor will creating higher taxes to enable the program solve the crisis. However, ultimately, higher education should be free as it would stimulate economic growth, remove the primary deterrent for not attending college and decrease dependence on government aid.

Many have thought of plenty excuses, yet the reality behind it is that if college and university were free many families would be able to live in less poverty and achieving the goals they have set for life. Stated in the article “Should free college be part of education?” by USAToday one sees the amount of money spent on education which is stated in the following quote “For the last 10 years, we have spent $1.1 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an average of more than a $110 billion annually.” With the amount of money spent on wars, many American citizens could be getting an education and learning something that will benefit America’s future. An article written by Bob Samuels, President of the University Council, one is presented with quite some important information. Bob Samuels states that “Currently, only 30% of Americans who start college or university end up graduating, and this represents a huge waste of time and money.” With this percentage of university graduates many others could try and be a part of it. It is a rate of 29 percent through 30 percent on average, meaning about 70 percent through 71percent. Those 70 through 71 percent of the American population having a college education can make an incredible and indescribable difference in ones society. Many would think that the idea of having free college and university will only affects one; however, on

Students often wonder what career path they will choose in the future to support their family and have a brighter future. Some students question whether attending college is worth their time, but research suggests that students who study at postsecondary institutions will benefit in the long run. If students want to have a successful future, to be able to support their family, and have a higher income, they will need some sort of higher level education. Going to college can help with unemployment rates and increase the chances of attaining a stable career. People, such as the former United States President Barack Obama, state that children are the future of the world and they will help raise the reputation of the U.S. by getting a good

Over the years, college fees have gradually risen for high school graduates. It’s been said that most jobs with a college degree earn almost double of what a high school graduate would earn. Many people all over the country have been unable to go to college because of these high fees for education. Some people think that your future shouldn’t be controlled by the amount of money you pay. If these fees continue to increase, then no one will be able to attend college. Higher education for free will increase productivity within students because they can get a good job, college is now a prerequisite, and college worthy jobs have great salaries.