By: Anonymous
Staff Writer
Although it is true that free education is a cause fought for by many, that applies to primary, middle, and high school, not college. Like most things in life, higher education is something that one earns, not that they’re given. Free never means entirely free. While the other side may argue that no tuition allows more people to go to college, this doesn’t take into account living expenses or materials. Board members of several universities even stated themselves that a free tuition policy is regressive. Yes, we wholeheartedly agree that free tuition would increase enrollment, but without the proper support and preparation, many poorer students will still drop out. If the goal is to increase the number of people with a university education, free tuition is not an effective way to make that happen. It’s not an efficient use of money if the outcome they’re hoping for is more accessibility to a college education and less debt on families. The American university system is already incredibly progressive, as most university students only pay based on their income. When the price is based on the ability to pay, the college attendance and graduation rate gradually increase. With free tuition, already incredibly long waitlists double and triple overnight. More students aren’t as financially capable as they should be and remain dependent on government aid. The value of college degrees would decrease dramatically, and this could lead to more and more workers being underemployed based on their qualifications. Though many agree that college should be free, these points that have been expressed clearly eliminate even the thought of adopting any other viewpoint, because free education is virtually impossible and would destroy a nation’s economy faster than one may hit submit on a college application.