Will Free College Education Make A Difference?
A woman sits in McDonalds with a sad look on her face. Her shoulders are slouched, and she reflects back on her past mistakes. Regret overtakes her as the thought of her college debt creeps back into her mind. She was not able to earn a decent education, but still held thousands of dollars in student loans. Just like this woman, many students face the effects of high college tuition, and the consequences of the inability to pay it off. Studies have shown that students who come from low-income families are unable to afford higher education beyond high school. Likewise, students who come from prestigious schools have little difficulty paying back debt, compared to low-income minorities. In this generation, employers are looking for people who have higher education and extensive knowledge in a specific area, which are difficult for students from low-income families to achieve. These factors all play a role in the price of college tuition, and whether students can truly handle the repercussions of such costly education. Despite the fact that free schooling may waste some of the government’s money, state colleges should offer free tuition because it will provide quality education for students, result in lower family debt, and supply job opportunities.
Free college education will allow low-income students to gain a quality education after high school. Minorities who attend college are provided easy subjects that are not taught by knowledgeable teachers (Haycock 41). Low income families clearly do not have enough money to afford a deserving college education, which explains how colleges attended by these people do not push them to their total potential. Expensive tuition results in minorities not receiving the proper attention and schooling they deserve. Making state colleges free would provide vigorous learning programs and push students to work hard. Not only are they unable to receive appropriate methods of education, but at an early age, minority children are automatically excluded because of high college costs. Low-income families have lost the motivation to aim for more prestigious schools, that are substantially more expensive, which affects students as young as twelve years old (Maslin). These prices intimidate minorities, discouraging them to work hard in high school. This fear is a clear indication of how high college tuition holds back low-income students.  If tuition for state colleges was free, it would motivate them to work hard, and earn a good education. Encouraging students to aim for their dreams, rather than being frightened by the expenses will allow them to achieve their highest potential. Thus, tuition-free college will give an opportunity for low-income students to receive a good education.
Free college education will reduce the amount of debt from high college tuition. Tens of thousands of dollars are spent by families to send their children to college. However, the amount of money needed to give them the proper education results in a great amount of debt for these families. Students who attend highly rated schools generally graduate with $23,000 loans, but typically earn $20,000 more than someone who did not go to college (Davidson). Graduates from prestigious colleges do have a lot of debt, but end up making more money than if they had not gone to college. This fact essentially proves how their debt is not holding an immense effect on their lives, because they earn dependable salaries to pay it back. However, low income families do not have as much money to pay for the top schools, so they resort to lower education, and still have large amounts of debt. A rise of $157 billion in student debt and college costs occurred between 2011 to 2012, while tuition increased 46 percent (The Hechinger Report). This statistic displays the extreme extents of debt for low-income students, and how much it is increasing each year. The amount of student loans doubled in the span of one year, which proves that as college tuition is increasing, so are the student debts. Abandoning the concept of college tuition will allow for families to not hold tremendous amounts of debt. Therefore, having free college will help reduce the student debt that accumulates over time.
Tuition-free college will allow for more job opportunities for students after they graduate from a university. Studies have proven that students who graduate from top-rated schools are more likely to work in high-income field, as they have received more exposure to proper education. Between the years 2010 and 2016, workers who had earned degrees after college took up 99% of the employment rise (“Is College Education Worth It?”). This data is clearly stating how employers are looking for people with a higher educational background. The only way for minorities or low-income students to receive those types of privileges is to make college easily accessible to them. Students earning a higher education will allow for more jobs to be given to all different kinds of people. Not only did employers hire people who had a higher educational background, but the unemployment percent was greater with students who did not attend college. The following statistic proves this point: “[i]n Apr. 2013, the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 25 and over with a bachelor's degree was 3.6%, compared to 5.0% for associate's degree holders, 7.5% for high school graduates, and 11.4% for high school dropouts” (“Is College Education Worth It?”). This fact shows how students who had received little to no college education had the highest unemployment rate, meaning that students who were unable to attend college most likely did not have a job. Making college free will allow more students to earn a living. The clear solution to the increasing unemployment rate is to make college tuition-free, as it will open up doors for minorities to receive an education, and eventually earn a living. Hence, free education will allow for an increase in job employment for young people.
Critics of tuition free colleges suggest that free education will simply waste the government’s money, because of the current dropout rates. Opponents state that about one fourth of the students who attend college do not come back for the next year (“Is College Education Worth It?”). A study conducted in 2011 showed that about half of the students enrolled in a four-year schooling eventually dropped out of college (“Is College Education Worth It?”). This research clearly proves that hundreds of students are giving up their education so quickly, and that making college free will just drain the government’s money. However, they are wrong because statistics have proven that enrollment percentages increased after colleges became free. Although many students who attend college drop out within the first few years, a study conducted in Germany displays the fact that many more students enrolled themselves in college after it became free. The year after German universities became free, the amount of students who attended German universities grew 22 percent (Marcus). This fact clearly shows how tuition-free college inspires students to get proper schooling, which will push them to work harder, since their education has no cost. The government’s money will not be wasted, as more students will enroll themselves into free colleges, and fundamentally decrease the dropout rate. The cause of the government’s lose in money was due to the amount of students who discontinued their schooling, but with free college, more people will enroll and be motivated to stay. Overall, tuition-free education will not jeopardize the government’s money, but will increase the amount of students who attend universities.
In summary, free education will allow for more students to get the education they deserve.
Eliminating tuition has many benefits such as providing a quality education for students, decreasing family debt, and supplying careers. If one does not want to spend thousands of dollars on a university, referring to the website Best College Reviews will be helpful (“8 Colleges Where Students Attend For Free”). This site provides various colleges that do not require tuition, and that supply reasonable education (“8 Colleges Where Students Attend For Free”). They understand how free college education can truly benefit a student, and the challenges one might face (“8 Colleges Where Students Attend For Free”). Being able to afford college plays an immense role in the value of education for students, otherwise college debt will always hold a defeatist role in their lives (“8 Colleges Where Students Attend For Free”). By viewing this website, it will truly help one better decide their future education (“8 Colleges Where Students Attend For Free”). Adults will be stuck in substandard jobs if they are not provided will proper tools to learn and grow. In order for low-income minorities to succeed and earn quality livings, they must be provided with proper education outlets. Tuition-free college will truly give an opportunity for low-income minority students to pursue their dreams without anything holding them back.