Andrew Kelly: Free Community College

Since Obama’s announcement of his idea to provide free community college an uproar of an argument has arose with two distinct sides: community college should be free and community college should not be free. The idea behind free community college is to help individuals reach towards a college degree just as people are easily set forth to reach for a high school degree. The hope is that by deleting the financial barrier that comes with community college more people are willing to aim for an associates degree and possibly higher. There are states that have decided to take the matter into their own hands and are planning to implement this idea. However, the idea of having free community college implemented throughout all states is still questionable

66 percent and 80 percent” (Brooks P6). Making college tuition free would be a bad idea.

In the article “ As he promotes it, some questions Obama’s free community college idea” by Joanne Jacobs explains Obama’s idea of community college being free. The article mentions teachers and students opinion of Obama’s idea and the say whether the agree with his plan or not. There is many issues with this plan because it means that schools are going to be more crowded because more people are going to attend. There’s also some positive things about this because it means more people would be encourage to go to school and get a degree so that they can get a better job. Community college should not be free because from my personal experience I have observed that community college offers students a chance to go to school for free, if more people attend community colleges the school will be packed which will make the school add a waiting list for others.

In the short article “As He Promotes It, Some Question Obama’s Free Community College Idea” by Joanne Jacobs, is about why making community college free can be a problem and why it can also be a benefit to many people. Community College tuition can be very expensive and many people might not have the money for it. Making community college free can be a good thing for those who can’t and can afford college. Community College shouldn’t be something we have to pay for and should be free. If Community College would be free it would be great opportunity for many people.

Community college should not be free An article written by Joanne Jacobs gives two perspectives about President Barack Obama’s free college plan. The reason behind Obama’s unveiling is because he believes if he makes community college free the number of people with degrees with increase. Yet not a lot of people agree. If community college does become free then a lot of more students would like to go that route since they won’t be paying debts or loans till they transfer into a university.

“The Debate Over Free Community College” is an article published in The Atlantic by Emily Deruy on July 27,2015. Which discusses the Tennessee Promise program and the Oregon program which offers the first two years of community college at no cost for it’s students if the requirements are met for each program. It also brings up different perspectives on the outlook of the overall program and things it would affect in either a positive or negative way. Also including some statistical and demographical information on the state of Tennessee and Oregon.

“There’s something about free that’s very clear to everyone.” (Joanne Jacobs) says Halley Potter a Century Foundation fellow, and everyone can agree with this statement. In the article “As He Promotes It, Some Question Obama’s Free Community College Idea,” by Joanne Jacobs, it explain how a student from Rio Hondo College (community college near LA) are “uncertain about President Barack Obama’s free college plan,” (Jacobs, 1). Free community college is a bad idea because community college is already almost free as it is with all the grants you can receive and financial aid or even scholarships. It is also a bad idea because even though it can be a powerful impact on lower income students it won’t be as beneficial because the colleges will become overpopulated and they would have to make waiting lists for you to get in and that will waste your time and you might get behind on graduating.

In this essay, I argue that community college tuition should be free or significantly less than it already is. The reasons why I support this argument is due to the strong points of the supporting premises for this argument. While the con side of the argument leans heavily on just one supporting thesis – essentially repeating that people should deserve and pay for a two year college as the same they do for a four year college –, the pro side supports in three different ways of why this is beneficial to America. It explains how this will provide the middle class of America a gateway to a better future that they wouldn't have before, how the investment into the America's College Promise plan is small with the payout being immeasurable, and to those who prove that they deserve this kind of benefit. The pro heavily outweighs the con in supporting premises.

It becomes a major controversy when the idea of something being “free” is brought up in this economy. Money is what operates the economical system and it’s the factor that leads colleges in providing resources for their students. President Obama’s idea of having community college be free leaves many skeptical on whether it can be beneficial, or in some ways hurtful. However, there are upsides to allowing community college to be free. Community College should be free because it will cause a diversity of students to attend, allow students to save money, and offer an opportunity for those who aspire to continue their education.

Dreams are not cheap. I have dreamed of having a college degree for twenty years, one of the hurdles that I struggled with overcoming was the shear rising cost of higher education. In the articles, The Problem with Obama’s “Free Community College” Proposal and Obama’s Dream of Free Community College is Headed to Congress, high dropout rates and low percentages of students earning a bachelor’s degree are touched upon. While reducing the cost of college or providing free community college may not be enough to raise the dropout rate, we need to look at the other non-quantifiable costs of getting an education. If we want to enable American’s to earn that dream, we need to address the whole needs of the student and not just throw money at them.

Over the past few years, President Barack Obama has proposed to make to the first two years of Community College free. Many school and state officials have touched upon this issue. Some officials completely agree with President Obama saying that more students would enroll to community colleges which would increase their chances of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. I, with many others, disagree with this idea. Making Community College free would mean more tax dollars, and making getting an education harder.

Free Community College, also known as President Obama’s America’s College Promise Plan, has gained much publicity recently due to the increasing cost of attending a post-secondary institution. The America’s College Promise Plan initiative is designed to enable all students the access to enroll in a community college for free. This research study aims to explore the impact the word “free” means to high school students regarding attending a community college. This literature review will give a brief analysis of the history and growth of community colleges, the different demographics and enrollment statistics of students, the cost of attending a two-year college, and what cost factors impact potential students’ college choice decisions. Lastly, a review of the proposed free community college plan and what impact it may have on society.

An article was written called, “Should college be free” They wrote “that only about 20 percent of first-time, full-time students at public two-year colleges earn associate's degrees, diplomas, or certificates within three years of starting. And only 15 percent of them go on to earn bachelor's degrees within six years.” However, 54 percent of students at private schools or non-profit two-year schools had a 63 percent of students graduate within three years. These statistical rates conclude that students who have to pay tend to try harder in their classes because if they fail they lose money and do not earn credit for the

good career if college was free.The recent studies of tuition increases have proven that it is obvious college should be free.

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.