For many years now education has proven to be the key to a great life full of al luxuries of the world. Despite this, education comes at a cost which proves to a burden not just to parents and guardians but also to students. For instance, it costs a lot of money for a student to attend college even those which are within the states. Because money required to pay for a college education is high, only a few individuals from able families manage to study through college and graduate while the rest drop out due to lack of funds. Failing to attain college education will mean that the inequality gap keeps on growing wider and wider every year. At this point, it is only the federal government, which can aid by lowering the general cots of public universities and colleges. In return, all the states will opt to commit through state funds reinvestment in higher education (Ellison, 2016). If state colleges could offer higher education for free then it would mean that at least every individual successfully completes their courses and graduate thus becoming better individuals in the society. For a very long time free college education has been the topic of the nation, attracting a different kind of opinions; while others are up for it, others are completely against it. Despite free college education being important to the society, it is completely inappropriate; therefore, state college education should not be free.
Arguments
The Argument For
It is believed that colleges are places where people go in order to broaden and expand their thinking and thus become a better person in the society. Without colleges, it would be hard for students to learn advanced life skills and further their career. Having this in mind, college education should be made free in order for every high school student to be able to venture deep into their field of choice. Providing free education will ensure that every person goes through college despite their status/position in the society. Paying for college education will deny others especially those from poor backgrounds the opportunity to further their studies and only favor those from well to do and abled families (Buttari, 2016).
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Providing free college education will provide room for students to concentrate on their studies rather than on their jobs completely. A number of the students in colleges usually go for part-time jobs to help them rise amounts to help in funding a number of things either personal or needed school material; to be able to keep themselves at school. If only community colleges could drop the tuition fees being imposed on students, then it would mean that they would be free which would in return boost their level of concentration in class thus become successful.
Another thing is that with a free college education, the gap between classes would be reduced to some level. The gap between the rich and the poor keeps on widening simply because the rich have enough to educate their children while the poor have nothing to educate theirs. With free college education then both families would be provided with a chance to further their studies thus succeed together while at the same time eradicate poverty and promote equality and effective democracy (Samuels, 2013).
The Argument Against
While other think that free college education would be important in the society, others believe it is completely wrong. Those who are against free college education argue that it would be completely out of mind simply because America cannot afford it. At the moment, it is believed that the taxes are high and a burden to the American families. Bringing in a free college education will mean that more taxes would be charged thus increasing the taxpayer's burden (Bozeman, 2016). In the end, the students who believed had studied for free would be taxed every month and eventually pay up for their education and other future students throughout their employment lifetime. Taxes will burden the citizens as the quality of university studies dwindle (Bozeman, 2016).
Also, from day one of kindergarten to the last day of high school studies, some students are careless; school goes through them instead of the other way round. Such students are sure a burden to others who are serious about succeeding in life. As for this reason, college studies should not be free simply because such individuals will be wasting resources. A college education should be paid for so that if someone messes up, then it is their money being wasted (Vecchia, 2016).
Another thing is that degrees will be devalued simply because college systems would be flooded. The main reason for going for further studies is to get a degree in the field of choice. With a free college education, it would mean that many people at once have a similar degree, which makes it hard and much more competitive when it comes to the job market. When there are many people having a similar thing its value tends to disintegrate; with free college education then more people will have similar degrees which would in return de-value it (Bozeman, 2016).
Ramifications
What outcome would/could occur if the proponents get their way?
Providing Free State college education would be important simply because, in the end, there would be more grandaunts from colleges who will be well equipped with the skill to run the economy. As a result, the young individuals would be able to live and fulfill their American dreams. In order to ensure that all the Americans have an equal opportunity and potential to reach their best and contribute towards nation building, free college education stands out as the best option. Having college education is a good thing since with graduates may use learned skills to start up an enterprise and provide more employment opportunities. All the same free college education will interfere with the job market simply because of the number of individuals holding a certain degree. As a result, wages paid on a particular field would be very low. Also, a free college education will promote unity and socialization as it would bring people from different backgrounds together under one policy and program (Goldrick-Rab, 2017). With a free college education, the taxpayers will have a burden to carry throughout their entire life simply because taxes will be high. As a result, people will be forced to save very little amounts.
What outcome would/could occur if the opponents get their way?
College education should not be free simply because it would interfere with the job market since the law of supply and demand would be interfered with because the supply is higher than the demand and therefore low value. As a result, it will mean that the wages will decrease, but without free education, then degrees would hold their value and in the job market and the wages would either increase or remain constant. Paying for education encourages an individual to work hard and archive the best simply because they know they may not have another chance of re-sitting their course. What is more is that paying for education will leave Americans with more money since taxes will remain constant which would in return encourage more saving. The poor and the less privileged in the society would be left simply because only the rich and abled families would be able to pay for college education.
What will happen if the status quo continues?
There is a chance that neither the proponent nor the opponent of the state colleges should be free to attend can emerge as the winner. In case of such, then the debate is destined to continue, or the government may choose its way which it feels and see's to be the best.
Recommended Actions for Both Sides
Proponents
State colleges should be free to attend. All Americans despite their status have the desire to attend a college succeed and live the American dream. Most of the students are unable to do this simply because they lack finances to take to pay for college tuition. As a result, they fail to continue with their studies as others from abled families pursue theirs. But with a free college education, every single person in the US is guaranteed a place in college. With a free college education, there is an opportunity for every student to succeed and acquire a degree as well as a new status within the society. A free college education is a guarantee to equality in the society, a chance for the less privileged to rise and have a chance just like others to study. Free higher education offers a system which plays a crucial function which allows people to have a democracy which is effective (Samuels, 2013).
Despite the benefits it brings, a free college education may be a disaster to America simply because it will mean that the citizens pay more taxes. Paying more taxes will in return reduce the amounts saved every day by the working population. More so, a free college education will flood the job market with thousands of similar degrees within the shortest time possible thus degrading its value. As a result, the demand goes high, and definitely, the price (wages) would drastically reduce and at the same time dwindle the quality of university (Bozeman, 2016).
Instead of making college education entirely free, the federal and state governments can come up with ideas for ensuring that students will not miss classes because of lack of funds. For instance, the amount to be paid can be reduced to a certain level that it can favor even the less privileged, such that the least amount given is just for education material such as books among other things.
Opponents
State colleges should not be free to attend. Despite the fact that college education is important in the present society, there is no need for it to be free. Making college education free will mean that colleges get flooded with students who will end up putting pressure on the available resources including lectures. More so, with a free college education, it would mean that a certain course will be done by thousands of students from day one to the last day. As a result, there will be many individuals having similar qualifications in the job market. Not only will the supply and demand of the job industry be affected, but all the value of the earned degrees would also go down. Also, some students may take education lightly, knowing that in case they fail they will re-sit without being cost a dime. The best value for education is money, which will provide the students with motivation to get real value for their money.
Having to pay to attend college will mean that only a chosen few, those who have the finances. Unlike free college education, paying for education would isolate the poor and the less privileged persons of the society. As a result, only the rich and the able students will attend college, which would result in the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor. In the end, equality becomes hard to archive. College education is a privilege, not everyone can afford it. More so, not everyone wants to study up to and beyond the college level.
Who will win? Verdict
Despite the furious battle among the two sides, it is clear that opponents will emerge victorious over the proponents. First, there are choices; As much as education is important is the society every single person has a choice to make, whether to or not to pursue it. If a college education is made free, then those who feel like joining would join and graduate. But still even without free college education many join but only a few manage to graduate despite their background capability. Secondly having free college education would mean that college system will be flooded. As a result, a course may end up being taken by dozens and dozens of students who at the end of the course will all be issued with a college degree. All these students will end up crowding the job market, thus straining it which will in return impact the law of supply and demand (Hardiman, 2016). Having many individuals with the similar qualifications reduces the value of the degree. More so, colleges would need extra cash for the purposes of expanding or getting new classrooms, laboratories and dorms, among others which would mean that an extra cost is incurred, which would eventually swamp the budget of the state (Hilker, 2016). Thirdly, having a free college education will be a burden to the taxpayers; this would mean that tax paid would be high to meet the required demand for educators and free college education.
References
Samuels, R. (2013). Why public higher education should be free: How to decrease cost and increase quality at American universities. Rutgers University Press
Bozeman, A. M. (2016, March 7). Top 3 Reasons Why Free College Is A Bad Idea. Odyssey. Retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/top-3-reasons-free-college-bad-idea
Ellison, K. (2016, April 14). The Argument for Tuition-Free College. The American Prospect . Retrieved from http://prospect.org/article/argument-tuition-free-college
Vecchia, L. T. (2016, May 31). Reasons Why College Should Not Be Free. New Theory . Retrieved from https://newtheory.com/reasons-why-college-should-not-be-free/
Buttari, J. (2016, August 9). Three Reasons Why Community Colleges Should Be Free. Odyssey . Retrieved from https://www.theodysseyonline.com/3-reasons-why-community-colleges-should-be-free
Hilker, D. (2016, September 23). The many problems with “free” college for everyone. The Denver Post . Retrieved from https://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/23/the-many-problems-with-free-college-for-everyone/
Hardiman, A. (2016, November 18). Why College Should Not Be Free, and How to Make It More Affordable. The EC Journal . Retrieved from https://www.theecjournal.com/single-post/2016/11/18/Why-College-Should-Not-Be-Free-and-How-to-Make-It-More-Affordable
Goldrick-Rab, S. (2017, January 6). Of course, low-income students win with free tuition. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2017/01/06/of-course-low-income-students-win-with-free-tuition/?utm_term=.fbc4a375cc67
