Free Education Should Be Provided At Public Institutions

Kris, a wife and a mother, worries about the increasing cost of higher education. She and her husband have a two year old daughter whom they are determined to send to college. They want their daughter to succeed in life, but they have to weigh the complications of going to college as well. “I have always thought about college as a “catch 22”...You’re taught from a young age that in order to achieve the “American Dream” you must graduate high school and go to college,” Kris contemplates (Kris 5).Throughout Kris’s ten years of experience with college, she has seen the tuition increase to shocking heights. In fact, she claims that community colleges cost as much as state colleges did when she first started her college hunt. Back then, she

America’s education system has been in a state of distress for the past decade, but garnished headlines recently as the student loan debt crisis reached over a trillion dollars. In conjunction with that, tuition is no longer the only obstacle a student faces when considering their future. As generations come and go, universities have slowly, but surely, been angling their education in a way to favor profit over knowledge. Because of the new direction higher education models are taking, Magdalena Kay questions her readers, “is there a problem with students, with teachers, with administrators, or maybe

As Mike Konczal observes in his article Three Crises in Higher Ed Affordability, so much of university education is in crisis that calls for urgent diagnosis to remake. One of the major challenges facing university education is the skyrocketing rate of unemployment for fresh graduates. Most unemployed graduates are financially

The Secretary of Education report charts the future of United States higher education and outlines various recommendations to improve it. As higher education evolves in unexpected ways, this new landscape demands innovation and flexibility from the institutions that serve the nation’s learners. The recommendations mentioned include assess, cost and affordability, financial aid, learning, transparency and accountability, and finally innovation. One of the most significant recommendations that needs to definitely be address is the issue of cost and affordability of higher education.

The words “free college tuition” spark interest in any college student with accumulating debt. In fact, this topic is so incredibly supported that Bernie Sanders implemented it as a core interest in his 2016 campaign. Once Hillary Clinton became the Democratic nominee, she decided to take it on herself with an extensive plan that guaranteed students free tuition. Unsurprisingly, free tuition resonates extremely well within the student demographic. To forty million Americans, free tuition eliminates the largest problem for students: debt (Hess, 2017). However, free college tuition generates the inverse of what these low-income and middle-income students believe. In fact, free college cripples them from multiple perspectives; students will end up spending more financially, will be less likely to graduate with a degree, and will be subjected to more inequality and less exposure.

“My father was a factory worker, and we were really poor. But everything I earned peddling papers and working in stores, he made me put aside for education” (Abraham A. Ribicoff). Abraham Ribcoff grew up to be the 80th governor of Connecticut and later became JFK’s secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. A major issue in today’s society is the debate over free community college tuition. Even though some say free community college tuition would be one step closer to saving Americas crumbling lower class, community college tuition should not be completely free. An education from a community college is already very affordable even for those who are from low-income families. On top of being

Higher education is unattainable for most Americans. Yet, it should be a responsibility of the government to make education free or affordable for all, by reforming tuition costs and regulate student loan providers. By aiding citizens in participation of higher education, it not only enables the individual to better their life, but also collectively betters the society. American culture requires that young adults must obtain a bachelor’s degree in order to succeed and further themselves in their career. However, in today’s society, students and families are crippled by student loan debt prior to entering into their desired career field. The financial hardships placed upon citizens to better their potential quality of life, thus bettering their society, takes a large toll on the student, and/or family. Ultimately, they end up paying tens-of-thousands, or even hundreds-of-thousands of dollars, in tuition costs. The cost of tuition deters many from attempting a degree, therefore affects the morale of the student, and it effects enrollment for higher education institutions. The United States must change their future generations’ future by reforming higher education, thus decreasing the tuition costs or effectively providing funds for free education. Thus, making higher education accessible to all people, regardless of race, sex, economic background, or social class. The United States government has made attempts to create equal access towards attaining higher education,

Education is an important aspect of life which should be available to everyone. In today’s situation, it is not possible for many Americans to attend college. With free tuition, “bright young people who currently skip college because they cannot afford it would have the opportunity to get a degree” (Josephson). Students from low-income families deserve to go to college as well as students from high-income families. Education is something that “should be guaranteed to all Americans, poor or rich” (Ellison). These students deserve to have their own chance to be successful in life instead of being at a disadvantage due to their family’s earnings. If college tuition was free, “students would be free to follow their passions and abilities” (Josephson). People would not have to settle for a job or a career path because of the cost concerns. Every American would be free to follow his or her dream. Education is a right and should not be withheld.

Ellison, Keith. “The Argument for Tuition-Free College.” The American Prospect. The American Prospect, 14 April 2016. Web. 20 March 2018.

The ability to access to college is the undeniable concern which resonates with families at all income levels and with people whose views span the political spectrum. Most people believe that education is a good investment and getting a bachelor’s degree may help them escape from poverty and broaden their knowledge about the world. On the contrary, paying for college is a huge hurdle for many families due to the increasing cost of tuition. Therefore, many Americans cannot afford attending college. This research paper will examine the issue of free education in America, so it will discuss both the arguments for the issue and the arguments against the issue.

The rising college tuition fees have been a controversial issue in recent times. The impact of this phenomenon on the education levels amongst the populations in nations all over the world is a matter of fact. Most of the affected individuals have been unable to complete their courses because the fees often become exorbitant and therefore deny them the chance to finish. Some studies even note that “college tuition has risen sharply, reaching record highs, and college graduates are increasingly finding themselves saddled with debt from student loans used to finance their education” (Abel & Deitz, 2014). Other surveys affirm that “Socioeconomic Gaps in college enrollment and attainment have widened over time, despite increasing returns to postsecondary education and significant policy efforts to improve access” (Page & Scott-Clayton, 2016). This situation has, however, been argued to be reasonable and economically viable by those who oppose any valuable monetary reductions. These quarters say that the fees are representative of the apparent economic issues around the world and therefore should not be an issue of concern what with the financial imbalance around the world. College tuitions should be free to enhance education dissemination and encourage the growth of educational advancement.

College can be a costly investment. In 2016, the United States Department of Education reported that, on average, the total cost for an undergraduate to attend a public institution is $16,188 while private institutions cost around $41,970 (“Back to School Statistics”). Even though grants and scholarships can reduce the cost of college, only 0.3 percent are able to attend college completely for free (O’Shaughnessy). Regardless of the cost, an increasing amount of high school graduates are seeking a higher education. The United States Department of Labor predicted that 69.2 percent of graduates planned to attend a college or university in 2015 (“College Enrollment and Work Activity”). Thus, with an expensive price tag on college and a rising

“Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world” argues Nelson Mandela. Many students after high school want the chance to go to college, but the expense in furthering their education is their drawback. In some countries around the world and back in our nation’s history, young people seeking higher education could attend public colleges for free. Today, the price of attending a public college is causing people to stop enrolling in a University and just taking a job after high school.  While it is true that someone can make, a decent living getting a job after high school, one’s education is more important and should be free of cost for everyone. With a free education, America’s fate is going forward, graduates are able to contribute to the economy, and three social classes will not be separated as badly.

On January 20th, 2015 former President of the United States Barrack Obama, in his State of the Union address spoke on behalf of our education system. With the Barrack and Michelle Obama’s background in education, the controversial topic was raised about the possibility of making college, specifically junior college free for college students. The article written on the State of the Union address by pbs.org states that Obama’s plan for a free junior college education system would provide tuition-free classes for students going to school at least half time who maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher and are making steady progress toward a degree or transferring to a four-year institution. In this paper, the discussion that is going to take place is tuition

Education should be free to everyone to ensure equal chances and opportunities for everyone. Children are not given any chance to choose their parents, therefore, it is not a child's fault that they have poor parents. Children from poor family backgrounds deserve to have an equal chance of accessing quality education just as the children from wealthy and stable financial background. It is clear, that quality free education will equip all children and give them the ability to compete fairly for life opportunities (Jeremy, 2014). This reduces the disparities between the two economic classes. Therefore, the rich won’t use education to get richer and the gap between the rich and the poor will reduce and this promotes national development.