Wittner's Argument Essay: Tuition Free College

“The price tag on college makes frequent headlines, but the price tag on shortfalls in participation and success in higher education does not(Baum 5). Getting a degree will help students find a good career after they graduate. When students achieve their degree jobs they apply for are more willing to pay them a higher salary. Going to college gives students excellent social skills and health benefits for themselves. Many people say that college is a swindle and foolish, but when going and graduating from college provides no struggles in finding a career, high-paying salaries, along with health and social benefits people need to look more into going.

Since a new president will be taking office soon, topics such as tuition-free colleges need to be addressed. Tuition-free colleges are not discussed widely enough for the government to see the financial struggles of ethnic minorities university students. While the study needs to be further conducted, there has been progress as to how these students feel and are able to cope with the tuition rates so far. However, some more questions need to be asked such as, do you feel the political candidates running for president are taking an interest in college students and tuition rates? From the current participant observation, majority of the students work to support themselves financially in college, so what else is there that they struggle economically

The reason is because now that the college attendences are free they don 't get more money in turn costing more for supplies and classes. Remember that the fee to get into college is free and not the actual classes. Therefore in the long run all the fees will balance out one

Obama once said “And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it.” (Obama 67-71) College education is typically considered to be very useful when one is wanting their dream career or a career with good annual pay. Without college education, it is highly likely that employers will not hire people with only a high school diploma. A college level education is valuable because one can have better wealth, is less likely to be unemployed, and better social skills. Firstly, it has been proven that employee’s with a college level education will have better wealth compared to a high school graduate. “Workers with a bachelor’s degree earn about $415 more a week than workers whose highest level of education is a high school diploma.” (“New School, Old Story”) Adding onto that “$22,000 more on average per year, compared to high school graduates.” (“5 Ways Ed Pays”) $22,000 is a very big number for people who can’t afford a new apartment even though they work 3 part time jobs as a high school graduate.

These days with the rising living coasts and tuition fees, it can be easily expected that an average families with an average income will have to struggle to pay the fees to university to have their child educated. This struggle can be real for a family having more than five children. In fact, students could finish their four years bachelor degree with a significant debts. College education should be free because everyone can attend and the country can benefit economically and socially. College fees is the reason that a poor-intelligent student will have a desperate future.

Elementary school, middle school, high school, and then college? We are told to “go to college” by friends, teachers, and family, but is college really worth all that hassle? The answer for every student will be different. Although, students may think that college is not in their future, it is strongly encouraged to think about post secondary school for a minute, because students will have a better income, more job opportunities, and will have a healthier lifestyle ahead of them. Students that think college is not necessary, may feel like it is too much for them to handle.

People might not be able to receive scholarships or grants from colleges if they don’t apply for them. First of all, with a grant or scholarship the college gives high school students money, and they don’t have to give it back(Mooney pg 13). Scholarships are really helpful if people want to save money and some stress. Colleges often award their scholarships based on merit (Mooney pg 16). If people want scholarships they will have to behave and be worthy of it.

Just last year 57% of all American high school graduates decided not to attend their first-choice college despite being accepted simply because it was unaffordable. With the injustice of such high college tuition rates it is no wonder that less and less young adults are attending and the dropout rate is increasing. If public colleges were tuition free, the people would be better educated, the American dream would be even closer than ever before, and our society would flourish. Free higher education can be a possibility, many foreign countries are able to successfully run while still offering free college tuition, why can’t America? Free College is a pivotal necessity for today’s youth without it society will crumble.

A free college education in universities and community colleges will leave graduates debt free and fuel the economy. There are many people with more intelligent minds than students in Harvard, but students of Harvard have rich parents who can get them the best possible education. People would rather not go to college than face student loans their entire life. Making a college education free will not make a degree less valuable because the value of something does not just come from how much money it costs. If someone has a degree, regardless of how much they pay for it, it has the value of education itself.

There are many on going discussions on whether or not college is a good investment. Some say that college is a waste of time and money or as Dale Stephens writes in College is A Waste of Time, “I believe higher education is broken” (Stephens 38). Others believe that college can be beneficial to one’s future and worth every penny. Considering both sides and weighing the possible outcomes, it can be proven that college is worth the risk. Investing in a college education can lead to a better job with better pay that will create a stable future, expand knowledge while investing economically in the country, and help to create a positive lifestyle.