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Why Should College Be Free: Overview of The Benefits

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Updated: 23 January, 2024

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Introduction, why college should be free, works cited.

• BBC. (2019, December 20). Greta Thunberg: Climate Crisis Activist Gets Comic Book Treatment. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-50861907
• CNN. (2019, September 23). Greta Thunberg: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know.
• Greta Thunberg’s official website. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.gretathunberg.org/
• Svenska Dagbladet. (2018, August 20). Greta Thunberg: “Skolstrejken för klimatet kan pågå i åratal” [Greta Thunberg: “The school strike for climate can go on for years”]. Retrieved from https://www.svd.se/greta-thunberg-skolstrejken-for-klimatet-kan-paga-i-aratal
• The Guardian. (2019, March 11). Greta Thunberg: The Fifteen-Year-Old Climate Activist Who Is Leading a Global Movement.

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Should College Be Free? The Pros and Cons

Types of Publicly Funded College Tuition Programs

Pros: why college should be free, cons: why college should not be free, what the free college debate means for students, how to cut your college costs now, frequently asked questions (faqs).

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Americans have been debating the wisdom of free college for decades, and more than 30 states now offer some type of free college program. But it wasn't until 2021 that a nationwide free college program came close to becoming reality, re-energizing a longstanding debate over whether or not free college is a good idea. 

And despite a setback for the free-college advocates, the idea is still in play. The Biden administration's free community college proposal was scrapped from the American Families Plan . But close observers say that similar proposals promoting free community college have drawn solid bipartisan support in the past. "Community colleges are one of the relatively few areas where there's support from both Republicans and Democrats," said Tulane economics professor Douglas N. Harris, who has previously consulted with the Biden administration on free college, in an interview with The Balance. 

To get a sense of the various arguments for and against free college, as well as the potential impacts on U.S. students and taxpayers, The Balance combed through studies investigating the design and implementation of publicly funded free tuition programs and spoke with several higher education policy experts. Here's what we learned about the current debate over free college in the U.S.—and more about how you can cut your college costs or even get free tuition through existing programs.

Key Takeaways

• Research shows free tuition programs encourage more students to attend college and increase graduation rates, which creates a better-educated workforce and higher-earning consumers who can help boost the economy. 
• Some programs are criticized for not paying students’ non-tuition expenses, not benefiting students who need assistance most, or steering students toward community college instead of four-year programs.  
• If you want to find out about free programs in your area, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education has a searchable database. You’ll find the link further down in this article. 

Before diving into the weeds of the free college debate, it's important to note that not all free college programs are alike. Most publicly funded tuition assistance programs are restricted to the first two years of study, typically at community colleges. Free college programs also vary widely in the ways they’re designed, funded, and structured:

• Last-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs cover any remaining tuition after a student has used up other financial aid , such as Pell Grants. Most state-run free college programs fall into this category. However, these programs don’t typically help with room and board or other expenses.
• First-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs pay for students' tuition upfront, although they’re much rarer than last-dollar programs. Any remaining financial aid that a student receives can then be applied to other expenses, such as books and fees. The California College Promise Grant is a first-dollar program because it waives enrollment fees for eligible students.
• Debt-free programs : These programs pay for all of a student's college expenses , including room and board, guaranteeing that they can graduate debt-free. But they’re also much less common, likely due to their expense.  

Proponents often argue that publicly funded college tuition programs eventually pay for themselves, in part by giving students the tools they need to find better jobs and earn higher incomes than they would with a high school education. The anticipated economic impact, they suggest, should help ease concerns about the costs of public financing education. Here’s a closer look at the arguments for free college programs.

A More Educated Workforce Benefits the Economy

Morley Winograd, President of the Campaign for Free College Tuition, points to the economic and tax benefits that result from the higher wages of college grads. "For government, it means more revenue," said Winograd in an interview with The Balance—the more a person earns, the more they will likely pay in taxes . In addition, "the country's economy gets better because the more skilled the workforce this country has, the better [it’s] able to compete globally." Similarly, local economies benefit from a more highly educated, better-paid workforce because higher earners have more to spend. "That's how the economy grows," Winograd explained, “by increasing disposable income."

According to Harris, the return on a government’s investment in free college can be substantial. "The additional finding of our analysis was that these things seem to consistently pass a cost-benefit analysis," he said. "The benefits seem to be at least double the cost in the long run when we look at the increased college attainment and the earnings that go along with that, relative to the cost and the additional funding and resources that go into them." 

Free College Programs Encourage More Students to Attend

Convincing students from underprivileged backgrounds to take a chance on college can be a challenge, particularly when students are worried about overextending themselves financially. But free college programs tend to have more success in persuading students to consider going, said Winograd, in part because they address students' fears that they can't afford higher education . "People who wouldn't otherwise think that they could go to college, or who think the reason they can't is [that] it's too expensive, [will] stop, pay attention, listen, decide it's an opportunity they want to take advantage of, and enroll," he said.

According to Harris, students also appear to like the certainty and simplicity of the free college message. "They didn't want to have to worry that next year they were not going to have enough money to pay their tuition bill," he said. "They don't know what their finances are going to look like a few months down the road, let alone next year, and it takes a while to get a degree. So that matters." 

Free college programs can also help send "a clear and tangible message" to students and their families that a college education is attainable for them, said Michelle Dimino, an Education Director with Third Way. This kind of messaging is especially important to first-generation and low-income students, she said. 

Free College Increases Graduation Rates and Financial Security

Free tuition programs appear to improve students’ chances of completing college. For example, Harris noted that his research found a meaningful link between free college tuition and higher graduation rates. "What we found is that it did increase college graduation at the two-year college level, so more students graduated than otherwise would have." 

Free college tuition programs also give people a better shot at living a richer, more comfortable life, say advocates. "It's almost an economic necessity to have some college education," noted Winograd. Similar to the way a high school diploma was viewed as crucial in the 20th century, employees are now learning that they need at least two years of college to compete in a global, information-driven economy. "Free community college is a way of making that happen quickly, effectively, and essentially," he explained. 

Free community college isn’t a universally popular idea. While many critics point to the potential costs of funding such programs, others identify issues with the effectiveness and fairness of current attempts to cover students’ college tuition. Here’s a closer look at the concerns about free college programs.

It Would Be Too Expensive

The idea of free community college has come under particular fire from critics who worry about the cost of social spending. Since community colleges aren't nearly as expensive as four-year colleges—often costing thousands of dollars a year—critics argue that individuals can often cover their costs using other forms of financial aid . But, they point out, community college costs would quickly add up when paid for in bulk through a free college program: Biden’s proposed free college plan would have cost $49.6 billion in its first year, according to an analysis from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Some opponents argue that the funds could be put to better use in other ways, particularly by helping students complete their degrees.

Free College Isn't Really Free

One of the most consistent concerns that people have voiced about free college programs is that they don’t go far enough. Even if a program offers free tuition, students will need to find a way to pay for other college-related expenses , such as books, room and board, transportation, high-speed internet, and, potentially, child care. "Messaging is such a key part of this," said Dimino. Students "may apply or enroll in college, understanding it's going to be free, but then face other unexpected charges along the way." 

It's important for policymakers to consider these factors when designing future free college programs. Otherwise, Dimino and other observers fear that students could potentially wind up worse off if they enroll and invest in attending college and then are forced to drop out due to financial pressures. 

Free College Programs Don’t Help the Students Who Need Them Most

Critics point out that many free college programs are limited by a variety of quirks and restrictions, which can unintentionally shut out deserving students or reward wealthier ones. Most state-funded free college programs are last-dollar programs, which don’t kick in until students have applied financial aid to their tuition. That means these programs offer less support to low-income students who qualify for need-based aid—and more support for higher-income students who don’t.

Community College May Not Be the Best Path for All Students

Some critics also worry that all students will be encouraged to attend community college when some would have been better off at a four-year institution. Four-year colleges tend to have more resources than community colleges and can therefore offer more support to high-need students. 

In addition, some research has shown that students at community colleges are less likely to be academically successful than students at four-year colleges, said Dimino. "Statistically, the data show that there are poorer outcomes for students at community colleges […] such as lower graduation rates and sometimes low transfer rates from two- to four-year schools." 

With Congress focused on other priorities, a nationwide free college program is unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, some states and municipalities offer free tuition programs, so students may be able to access some form of free college, depending on where they live. A good resource is the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education’s searchable database of Promise Programs , which lists more than 100 free community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

In the meantime, school leaders and policymakers may shift their focus to other access and equity interventions for low-income students. For example, higher education experts Eileen Strempel and Stephen Handel published a book in 2021 titled "Beyond Free College: Making Higher Education Work for 21st Century Students." The book argues that policymakers should focus more strongly on college completion, not just college access. "There hasn't been enough laser-focus on how we actually get people to complete their degrees," noted Strempel in an interview with The Balance. 

Rather than just improving access for low-income college students, Strempel and Handel argue that decision-makers should instead look more closely at the social and economic issues that affect students , such as food and housing insecurity, child care, transportation, and personal technology. For example, "If you don't have a computer, you don't have access to your education anymore," said Strempel. "It's like today's pencil."

Saving money on college costs can be challenging, but you can take steps to reduce your cost of living. For example, if you're interested in a college but haven't yet enrolled, pay close attention to where it's located and how much residents typically pay for major expenses, such as housing, utilities, and food. If the college is located in a high-cost area, it could be tough to justify the living expenses you'll incur. Similarly, if you plan to commute, take the time to check gas or public transportation prices and calculate how much you'll likely have to spend per month to go to and from campus several times a week. 

Now that more colleges offer classes online, it may also be worth looking at lower-cost programs in areas that are farther from where you live, particularly if they allow you to graduate without setting foot on campus. Also, check out state and federal financial aid programs that can help you slim down your expenses, or, in some cases, pay for them completely. Finally, look into need-based and merit-based grants and scholarships that can help you cover even more of your expenses. Also, consider applying to no-loan colleges , which promise to help students graduate without going into debt.

Should community college be free?

It’s a big question with varying viewpoints. Supporters of free community college cite the economic contributions of a more educated workforce and the individual benefit of financial security, while critics caution against the potential expense and the inefficiency of last-dollar free college programs. 

What states offer free college?

More than 30 states offer some type of tuition-free college program, including Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington State. The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education lists over 100 last-dollar community college programs and 16 first-dollar community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

Is there a free college?

There is no such thing as a truly free college education. But some colleges offer free tuition programs for students, and more than 30 states offer some type of tuition-free college program. In addition, students may also want to check out employer-based programs. A number of big employers now offer to pay for their employees' college tuition . Finally, some students may qualify for enough financial aid or scholarships to cover most of their college costs.

Scholarships360. " Which States Offer Tuition-Free Community College? "

The White House. “ Build Back Better Framework ,” see “Bringing Down Costs, Reducing Inflationary Pressures, and Strengthening the Middle Class.”

The White House. “ Fact Sheet: How the Build Back Better Plan Will Create a Better Future for Young Americans ,” see “Education and Workforce Opportunities.”

Coast Community College District. “ California College Promise Grant .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Biden’s Free College Plan Would Pay for Itself Within 10 Years.”

Third Way. “ Why Free College Could Increase Inequality .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Free-College Programs Have Different Effects on Race and Class Equity.”

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. “ College Promise Programs: A Comprehensive Catalog of College Promise Programs in the United States .”

Spring 2024

The Case Against Free College

Without an overhaul of how we understand student benefits, making college free would boost the wealth of college attendees without any egalitarian gains.

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In the United States, as in much of the rest of the world, college students receive three kinds of public benefits: tuition subsidies, living grants, and public loans. Through various combinations of this benefit troika, almost all students are able to finance their college education. Some on the left are very unhappy with the precise mix of student benefits currently on offer. Student debt activists, among others, complain that tuition subsidies and living grants make up too little of the student benefit bundle, while public loans make up too much of it.

Recently, this complaint has begun to coalesce into a number of movements and proposals for “free college.” I put the phrase in quotes because it means different things to different people. For some, “free college” means subsidizing tuition to zero. For others, it means subsidizing tuition to zero and providing living grants high enough to completely cover room and board. For still others, it appears to mean putting in place some mix of means-tested tuition subsidies, living grants, and even subsidized work-study jobs that, combined with expected parental assistance, allow nearly all students to leave college with little to no debt.

One could write at great length about these different conceptions of “free” and the policy proposals that have formed around them. For instance, since people who do not attend college also have housing and food costs, is it really correct to say room and board is a cost of attending college? Why do none of these conceptions consider as a cost of college all of the potential wages students forego by choosing to study rather than work? Does parental assistance with college really help to make it free or is it more properly understood as a family wealth transfer that students then pay towards their higher education?

Of greater importance than all of those questions, however, is the more basic question about the fairness of free college as an idea. Those clamoring for free college make normative claims about the nature of a just and good society. As currently argued, however, these claims are largely uncompelling. Without a dramatic overhaul of how we understand student benefits, making college more or entirely free would most likely boost the wealth of college attendees without securing any important egalitarian gains.

The main problem with free college is that most students come from disproportionately well-off backgrounds and already enjoy disproportionately well-off futures, which makes them relatively uncompelling targets for public transfers. At age nineteen, only around 20 percent of children from the poorest 2 percent of families in the country attend college. For the richest 2 percent of families, the same number is around 90 percent. In between these two extremes, college attendance rates climb practically straight up the income ladder: the richer your parents are, the greater the likelihood that you are in college at age nineteen. The relatively few poor kids who do attend college heavily cluster in two-year community colleges and cheaper, less selective four-year colleges, while richer kids are likely to attend more expensive four-year institutions. At public colleges (the type we’d likely make free), students from the poorest fourth of the population currently pay no net tuition at either two-year or four-year institutions, while also receiving an average of $3,080 and $2,320 respectively to offset some of their annual living expenses. Richer students currently receive much fewer tuition and living grant benefits.

Given these class-based differences in attendance levels, institutional selection, and current student benefit levels, making college free for everyone would almost certainly mean giving far more money to students from richer families than from poorer ones. Of course, providing more generous student benefits might alter these class-based skews a bit by encouraging more poor and middle-class people to go to college or to attend more expensive institutions. But even reasonably accounting for those kinds of responses, the primary result of such increased student benefit generosity would be to fill the pockets of richer students and their families.

Student benefit campaigners tend not to focus on these sorts of distributive questions, preferring instead to gesture towards a supposed student debt crisis to prove that those who attended college really are a hurting class needing higher benefits. While there are certain extreme cases of students with very high debts, and certain college sectors such as for-profits that are truly immiserating specific groups of students, the reality remains that college graduates are generally on track for much better financial outcomes than non-attendees. Even in the wake of the Great Recession, which hit young people harder than anyone else, those with bachelor’s degrees had median personal incomes $17,500 higher than young high school graduates. Just one year of this income premium would be enough to wipe out the median debt of a public four-year-college graduate, which currently stands slightly above $10,000.

Although extending extra benefits to such a disproportionately well-off group is a deeply suspicious idea, the way American student benefit campaigners talk about it is somehow worse still. Due to the toxic American mix of aversion to welfare benefits, love of individual rights, and faith in meritocracy, the typical line you hear about free college is that it should be a right of students because they have worked hard and done everything right. The implicit suggestion of such rhetoric is that students are really owed free college as the reward for not being like those less virtuous high school graduates who refuse to do what it takes to better themselves through education.

Needless to say, such thinking is extremely damaging to a broader egalitarian project, even more so in some ways than its goal of setting aside a part of our national income for the inegalitarian aim of making college free. If we are actually going to push a free college agenda, it should not be under a restrictive students’ rights banner, but instead under a general pro-welfare banner. The goal of free college should not be to help students per se , but instead to bind them to a broader welfare benefit system. By presenting their tuition subsidies and living grants as indistinguishable from benefits for the disabled, the poor, the elderly, and so on, it may be possible to encourage wealthier students to support the welfare state and to undermine students’ future claims of entitlement to the high incomes that college graduates so often receive. After all, the college income premium would only be possible through the welfare benefits to which the rest of society—including those who never went to college—has contributed.

Without understanding and presenting student benefits as welfare handouts, a free college agenda has no real egalitarian purpose. Giving extra money to a class of disproportionately well-off people without securing any reciprocal benefit to poor and working-class people who so often do not attend college, all while valorizing the college student as a virtuous person individually deserving of such benefits, would be at worst destructive, and at best, totally pointless.

Matt Bruenig is a writer who researches poverty, inequality, and welfare systems.

This article is part of   Dissent’s special issue of “Arguments on the Left.” Click to read contending arguments from Tressie McMillan Cottom and Mike Konczal .

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College Should Be Free Persuasive Essay Example

Did you know that around 43.2 Million people suffer from College Debt, and all of that amount together comes up to over 1.59 Trillion? It has been highly debated for many years whether college students shouldn't have to pay to go to school in the United States and many Bills have been introduced to initiate Colleges going free. College Tuition should be free. Free college would reduce student debt, providing free college tuition gives an opportunity for everyone to go to college, and the economy and society would benefit from tuition free colleges.   

College should be Free because then the people who go won't have to pay off their college debt for the next couple of decades.“Student loan debt significantly impacts one's ability to purchase a home. When Equifax asked in 2015 millennial renters why they did not buy a home, 55.7% of respondents listed “student loan debt/not enough money saved” as the top reason.” (Williams, 1). This text states that the college debt is holding them back from the important things like, buying a house and keeping up their rent because they just aren’t able to afford or keep up the money while dealing with college debt. “When students graduate with debt, they will likely continue to add to their debt with interest. As such, it can take many years before they manage to dig themselves out of debt that only seems to keep growing. In the meantime, this delays spending on such things as buying a house or a car.”  (www.uopeople.edu, 1) This quote shows that even after they graduate, they are stuck with these hard bills to pay off that only increase when they don't have the money to pay them which puts off important things and stuff they need to survive like, rent and food their focus is stuck on getting rid of this large amount of debt they have accumulated.So not only will we save Americans from a lifetime of debt, there are many other benefits as well. 

College Tuition should be free because it provides everyone with an equal opportunity to receive a good college education. “Free college tuition programs have proved effective in helping mitigate the system’s current inequities by increasing college enrollment, lowering dependence on student loan debt, and improving completion rates, especially among students of color and lower-income students who are often the first in their family to attend college.” (Winograd, Lubin, 1)  From what this quote states it is said that without college tuition not only do the everyday people who have been going can keep going but would show more people of color and people who come from low income and less fortunate families are able to go which leaves them with better education and better opportunities for their future. It also states that more students are graduating from college because they now have had the opportunity to go. “Students—including many older students juggling work and family responsibilities—recognize that higher education is a key to opportunity, and that has fueled a substantial increase in college enrollment rates in recent years. But unfortunately, for millions of other students, our higher education system isn't delivering what they need, or deserve. In part because of the rising costs of college, too many students are unable to enroll or complete high-quality degrees.” (www.ed.gov, 1) This is basically saying that costs are rising, and many people in America use college as their opportunity and maybe their only opportunity to not have to struggle with money and can get the job they need to support themselves and their families, but it's becoming increasingly harder because of the ever so costly college tuition rates. since everyone would have an equal chance at a college education they can get better jobs and will be less of a burden on society and the government, leading to less government programs and homelessness

Free College would benefit the Economy and Society. “the U.S. economy will have a shortfall of 5 million college-educated workers by 2020. This gap is unsurprising. By 2020, 65 percent of all jobs will require bachelor’s or associate’s degrees or some other education beyond high school, particularly in the fastest growing occupations—science, technology, engineering, mathematics, health care, and community service.” (Bergeron, Martin, 1) It is explained in this quote that some jobs that need a higher education than just high school are becoming so needed that people being able to have the chance to get them would really boost the economy. “By nearly any measure, college graduates outperform their peers who have only completed their high school degree. For example, the average graduate is 24 percent more likely to be employed and average earnings among graduates are $32,000 higher annually and $1 million higher over a lifetime.” (aplu.org, 1) This quote gives light to the fact that with a better education and job opportunities, we can all make more money and be able to support ourselves and society.  On the other hand some claim that while helping society we still need to find the money to pay the costs associated with college and universities. 

Free College is a bad idea because the money still has to come from somewhere. “The estimated cost of Bernie Sanders’s free college program is $47 billion per year and has states paying 33% of the cost, or $15.5 billion. [25] According to David H. Feldman, Ph.D., and Robert B. Archibald, Ph.D., both Professors of Economics at William & Mary College, “This will require tax increases, or it will force states to move existing resources into higher education and away from other state priorities like health care, prisons, roads, and K-12 education.” Part of their concerns are not valid because many of those services are funded via the state's homeowners who pay their property taxes. “Free college is free for the student, but the money to cover the cost must come from somewhere. As mentioned earlier, this money could come from the defense budget, which is fine until there is a war, and the U.S. needs this money. It would also come from taxes, which means that Americans would be forced to pay more so that college can be free.” Another point made was that part of the US defense budget would be used, in fact the bill was presented to potentially use this budget in 2017 and was never seen to pass. 

I believe that the larger significance of having college free and getting rid of tuition would greatly benefit American society, It will give financially disadvantaged students a chance to move up the social ladder and afford them the same opportunities that their more financially fortunate peers are given, This will give a chance for everyone to be truly equal in society and gives chances to those who need to support themselves and their families. The takeaway for the readers is seeing the benefit this would have to society as a whole and they should start to support free college tuition in America.  

https://edsource.org/2020/tuition-free-college-is-critical-to-our-economy/641232

aplu.org/projects-and-initiatives/college-costs-tuition-and-financial-aid/publicuvalues/societal-benefits.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/wesleywhistle/2021/03/30/the-impact-of-free-community-college/?sh=c8c11d54bdfe

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/strengthening-our-economy-through-college-for-all/

https://theintercept.com/2017/09/18/the-senates-military-spending-increase-alone-is-enough-to-make-public-college-free/

https://www.ablison.com/important-pros-and-cons-of-free-education/

https://www.procon.org/headlines/free-college-top-3-pros-and-cons/

https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/affordability-college-cost/pros-cons-tuition-free-college/

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/100515/10-ways-student-debt-can-destroy-your-life.asp.

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Why College Should Be Free: Analysis of Arguments and Counterarguments

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Should College be Free: Pros and Cons

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All over the world, many adults have not obtained a college education. As a result, they work at jobs that do not pay them well and overwork them. Although every person looks forward to the reality of the “American Dream”, that dream cannot be a reality because of the cost of tuition. When people consider the high cost of tuition, they are stressed even more and students doubt the worth of going through college training. Ultimately, one needs to go through college and attain an education, but the cost associated with college is not worth it.

There are many reasons why college education should be free, but one main reason is to allow students to concentrate on their studies in a college of their choice other than the cost itself. Having free tuition will eliminate the need for government assistance and student loans can translate into financial burdens.

College education needs to be free to allow the students to focus more on their school of choice than the costs involved. Every person desires to enroll in schools that will allow them to exploit their full potential and strengthen their intelligence. This can be done without necessarily having to worry about the costs. Having scholarships is a form of help but scholarships can only be to a limited extent because most scholarships can sustain only a limited number, and others are given only for a limited period. Having a free college education will enable students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to attend colleges and allow them to raise the required graduation fees. Every student will be free to select an education major that they have an interest in and that will translate into more successful graduates that would be competent in the fields of their interest. For example, if a student has a passion for becoming a surgeon, the thought of the tuition fee will discourage them and their dream would stall. Eventually, that student will end up doing something they are not passionate about. The student could have been a future doctor that is then lost among many who could not achieve their full potential.

Colleges need to be free since having free tuition will reduce the need for government assistance. The only cost that the students will be shouldering will be their necessities and living expenses. A lot of people are resorting to financial assistance to help them fund basic community colleges when their potential is way more than that. Having a free college will become a great difference because not many people would be opting to use government aid such as loans and grants to finance their training. Many adults will have an opportunity to enroll in colleges because currently most of them do not qualify for financial assistance and that becomes a barrier to them. In contemporary society, it is difficult to find a stable and successful career when you have no college degree. Having a free college will thus enable adults to secure better careers, take better care of their families, and lead more stable lives. That will result in the termination of other government programs. If all people could access the necessary education that would enable them to be who they desire to be, most government programs that are established to help would be unnecessary because people would be stable enough to provide for themselves. Many families are still relying on programs like Medicaid, WIC, and EBT simply because they cannot reach where they want to reach owing to the high cost of a college education. Being in a good career can guarantee an individual a successful life that will not require government assistance programs, then that amount can be used to support other beneficial programs.

The other reason why free college should be provided is that when students are allowed to take education loans, such loans end up becoming financial burdens for them. One of the reasons why students do not excel the way they should is because they are stressed as they try to pay off their student loans or are overworked to manage to repay the loans. Until the loan is fully settled, it can choke off someone’s progress in life because it is a burden. This is another reason why many individuals shy off from applying to enroll in colleges to pursue the majors of their dream. Since everyone dreams of becoming somebody or achieving something in life, they need a college degree to enable them to succeed in their fields. When one does not qualify for grants or scholarships, they only have the option of taking loans to finance their education. Often, people are unable to repay the loans because they end up securing underpaid jobs. When people cannot repay the loans, they are strained and their lives become difficult. Since the graduates do not necessarily secure jobs as soon as they are out of school, the loans’ interests keep growing and that may imply having extra years to repay the loans. Because of the issues that accompany loans and the stress that accompanies them, it is important to make college education free.

Numerous reasons support the need for making college tuition free. Students will benefit from the free tuition in that they will concentrate on their school work rather than the cost. The need for government support programs will also reduce because people will be more stable. Also, the free college will free students from long-term debts. When colleges offer free tuition, adults will have an opportunity to pursue their dreams and do what they desire in life. Families will also be empowered to take better care of their people. When people are allowed to study in their colleges of choice, many intelligent minds will be produced but that can only happen if the college tuition fee is free.

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Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons. (2019, Jun 17). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/

"Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons." PapersOwl.com , 17 Jun 2019, https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/

PapersOwl.com. (2019). Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/ [Accessed: 11 Jun. 2024]

"Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons." PapersOwl.com, Jun 17, 2019. Accessed June 11, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/

"Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons," PapersOwl.com , 17-Jun-2019. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/. [Accessed: 11-Jun-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2019). Should College Be Free: Pros And Cons . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/should-college-be-free-pros-and-cons/ [Accessed: 11-Jun-2024]

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