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Benefits of Free College Education
Most students dream of one day going to college after completing their high school education. However, the reality is that college in the United States is very expensive, such that some students cannot afford it. Students from low-income families sometimes have to shelve or even give up their dreams of college because the cost is too high. The debate on making college education free has been going on for a long time. In 2015, President Obama announced that his administration would come up with a plan for free community college education. One major challenge with free college education is funding. Where would the government get enough money to cover the college costs of millions of students? Despite the concerns and obstacles surrounding the implementation of free college education in the US, the program would be beneficial to families, students, and the country in general. Some of the advantages of a free college education include improving equality, a skilled workforce, boosting the economy, and reducing the burden of student debt.
Student debt is a serious crisis in the United States. On average, individuals who graduated from college in the US carry a debt of more than $30,000 per person. This is a significant burden on individuals (Delisle & Cooper 17). The high cost of college and fear of debt is what keeps many students from going to college in the first place. The option of getting a loan still leaves students worried about how they will pay back their loans, especially if they do not get a well-paying job after university. Free college would free students from debt and encourage more students to go to college, knowing that they can focus on their studies with concerns over costs taken off their shoulders.
A free college education would encourage more people to college, and this translates into a more skilled workforce. Countries need skilled labor to solve current problems such as climate change, economic issues, infrastructure, and healthcare, among others. All these are significant problems for the country. Having a more educated workforce would contribute to more solutions on how to solve these problems. The more educated the workforce, the more productive and productive they are. A skilled and educated population will also take a keen interest in the country’s affairs, such as choosing qualified leaders that improve society.
Another benefit of free college education is that it boosts the economy. Consumption is the main thing that drives economic growth. The more disposable income that individuals have, the more they spend, which encourages the growth of business and the economy in general. High student debt lowers the purchasing power of individuals, stifling the economy. With student debt, students have to postpone important milestones in their lives, such as buying a car or a home. Delaying such activities is bad for the economy. Free college education would allow students to start earning, spending, and saving immediately after school, which stimulates the economy. Spending is good for the economic cycle in general as it increases demand for goods and services, which creates employment for others (Perna et al. 45). Free college education will be of great benefit to the country as a whole.
Free college education would close the inequality gap in the United States. Students from wealthy families get access to high-quality education and go on to get prestigious jobs. Students from low-income families cannot afford to go to college and end up in low-paying jobs like their parents. The poor remain poor while the rich get even richer. Free college education would bridge this gap by ensuring that all students, regardless of economic background, access free quality education. This is one of the best ways to close the class and wealth gap in society.
Although the benefits of free college appear very attractive, one major issue raised against the model is the source of funding. With the country’s revenue already stretched out on other programs, it might not be feasible to implement widespread free college education. During the 2020 presidential campaigns, President Joe Biden proposed that community college should be free for all. Additionally, students from low-income families earning less than $125,000 a year would attend four-year college for free (Lara & Shores 275). Other presidential candidates, such as Senator Bernie Sanders, proposed that an additional tax be levied on Wall Street, and the resulting revenue be used to fund higher education for students. Both of these proposals would be an excellent way to kick off the free college education program. The model is quite costly; hence the best way is to start from community colleges while the government explores additional sources of funding for four-year colleges.
In summary, college is an integral part of life for those who choose to attend. College is not just about getting an education; it gives students the opportunity to develop their social and critical skills that will come in handy for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, not all students who wish to attend college can do so due to the expensive costs associated with getting a bachelor’s degree. Making college education free would be helpful for such students. Other benefits of free college include a more skilled workforce, boosting the economy, improving equality, and reducing income gaps in society. The government should explore available options towards making free college education a reality because it offers so many benefits for students and the country in general.
Works Cited
Delisle, Jason D., and Preston Cooper. “Free College and the Debt-Free Fantasy.” American Enterprise Institute (2020).
Lara, Bernardo, and Kenneth A. Shores. “Identifying preferences for equal college access, income, and income equality.” Education Finance and Policy 15.2 (2020): 270-291.
Perna, Laura W., Elaine W. Leigh, and Stephanie Carroll. ““Free college:” A new and improved state approach to increasing educational attainment?” American Behavioral Scientist 61.14 (2017): 1740-1756.
