Tuition Free College: Making College Bearable
Many people fear that creating tuition free college would create significantly higher taxes. Taxes inspire fierce emotions in the American people; people balk at the idea of paying or helping to pay for someone else’s benefit. These people fail to realize the greater societal good, such as better job availability and financial security. Many remain unaware of the climbing cost and subsequent debt of higher education. Currently, Americans carry “more than one trillion dollars of student loan debt” (Cubberly 21) in the U.S. Many students over work themselves in an attempt to pay off their overwhelming amount of student loan debt. A chain reaction starts as a result. On average, a student takes …show more content…
As of 2004, “the average family’s net worth has declined over the last two years for the first time in half a century” (Reed 25-27) making it harder to pay for a student’s tuition. Almost all of American students apply for financial aid, but it is not nearly as effective as it has been in previous years since ”annual increases in the cost of higher education have consistently outpaced the overall rate of inflation” (Kess et al. 70). To avoid a great deal of debt, some students may choose to enlist in the Army and enroll in college later, relying on the G.I. Bill to pay for college. The student may encounter another obstacle when “almost 66 percent of recruits never get any college funding from the military” (Reed 25-27), which means the student still cannot afford a higher-education. However, the U.S has the budget to pay for student’s tuition: “the total bill for all students currently enrolled in public instituions is uder $27 billion, less than one-third of what George W. Bush is spending on Iraq this year (2004)” (Reed 25-27). Most higher-paying jobs require at least an associate’s degree, if not more. With tuition free college, more students have the opportunity to fulfill their dream job or be able to support a growing family. “The majority of students (64 percent) graduate with an average debt of almost $17,000” (Reed 25-27); with tuition free college they carry less debt when they graduate; making it easier to pay off debt and purchase homes, cars, and other consumer goods. People with more disposable income exercise their purchasing power, which provides tax revenue and strengthens the
Many people fear that creating tuition free college would create significantly higher taxes. Taxes inspire fierce emotions in the American people; people balk at the idea of paying or helping to pay for someone else’s benefit. These people fail to realize the greater societal good, such as better job availability and financial security. Many remain unaware of the climbing cost and subsequent debt of higher education. Currently, Americans carry “more than one trillion dollars of student loan debt” (Cubberly 21) in the U.S. Many students over work themselves in an attempt to pay off their overwhelming amount of student loan debt. A chain reaction starts as a result. On average, a student takes …show more content…
As of 2004, “the average family’s net worth has declined over the last two years for the first time in half a century” (Reed 25-27) making it harder to pay for a student’s tuition. Almost all of American students apply for financial aid, but it is not nearly as effective as it has been in previous years since ”annual increases in the cost of higher education have consistently outpaced the overall rate of inflation” (Kess et al. 70). To avoid a great deal of debt, some students may choose to enlist in the Army and enroll in college later, relying on the G.I. Bill to pay for college. The student may encounter another obstacle when “almost 66 percent of recruits never get any college funding from the military” (Reed 25-27), which means the student still cannot afford a higher-education. However, the U.S has the budget to pay for student’s tuition: “the total bill for all students currently enrolled in public instituions is uder $27 billion, less than one-third of what George W. Bush is spending on Iraq this year (2004)” (Reed 25-27). Most higher-paying jobs require at least an associate’s degree, if not more. With tuition free college, more students have the opportunity to fulfill their dream job or be able to support a growing family. “The majority of students (64 percent) graduate with an average debt of almost $17,000” (Reed 25-27); with tuition free college they carry less debt when they graduate; making it easier to pay off debt and purchase homes, cars, and other consumer goods. People with more disposable income exercise their purchasing power, which provides tax revenue and strengthens the