Do the Benefits of College Still Outweigh the Costs?

University tuition fees affect every individual. Whether you’re a student who is currently enrolled or a recent graduate. Over the last couple of decades, the cost of tuition in the United States has nearly tripled. Due to the significant increase in expenses, obtaining a degree is becoming a difficult task to accomplish. Author Meghan concludes, “It is 400% more expensive to go to college today than it was thirty years ago in the United States”( Meghan L. 2014). With such high expenses, accessibility to post-secondary education for individuals, especially minors, has become extremely difficult.

Many young adults even opt to go straight into the workforce rather than pursue a degree because of the costs. One of the first arguments critics may have to deny this claim is that all you have to do is just fill out FAFSA to receive financial aid assistance. They also may argue that the value of a degree will depreciate and they would be overburdened with the immense amount of enrollment if tuition were free.

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However, those people are mistaken because they overlook the fact that free education would benefit more than 90% of the population and prepare more adults for the workforce. We have individuals who are either considered higher class who may not be able to obtain any type of aid or too poor to even attend. Leaving these people sort of stuck in the middle. To better the lives of many people. Endorsing a free post-secondary education supplied by the U.S government would provide an opportunity for people with low economic status, eliminate debt, and allow more students to pursue their passions.

First and foremost providing free education would provide an opportunity for people with a low-socioeconomic status and minorities. Unprivileged families earn roughly $11,000 to $24,000/ year which is considered only one semester of tuition. With such a low income it prevents an extensive quantity of minors from receiving an education. A major concern is that our country brightest are classified as low-income students. These are students who have achieved exceptional grades in school and on standardized tests. Unfortunately, these individuals are less likely to obtain a college degree than their higher-income peers. “According to the National Center for Education Statistics, only about 16 percent of low-income college students graduate” (Pete M.2017). Teachers, mentors, and parents always suggest in furthering your education to open doors for bigger and better things, but many people face financial situations to where a college education is not a choice for them. Colleges and Universities always provide state and federal grant programs to help cover the costs but sometimes they just aren’t sufficient. Students are still forced to take out loans and even work to cover the rest of their tuition along with other fees. NASFAA Senior Reporter Bidwell states “Students from lower-income backgrounds, the analysis found, could only afford 1 to 5 percent of the colleges”(Allie B. 2017). Granting students a tuition-free education lifts an enormous burden and allows students to put their best foot forward while getting their degree.

Next and most importantly, by providing the luxury of free tuition, student debt will no longer be a burden to future generations. In today's society, students are skeptical about attending school to avoid owing thousands of dollars in student loans. “Over 44 million Americans collectively hold nearly $1.5 trillion in student debt.” ( Abigail H. 2018). Students are attending school for four years paying for a program that roughly costs $50,000 for a $35,000/ year paying job. Once Graduated with a bachelor's degree you are now urged to find any job immediately just to pay $200-500 a month's worth of debt. Not only does being in debt affect your funds in the future but your mental health as well. Surveys from the PR Newswire states, “ 48% said that education-related debt had contributed to feelings of anxiety or sleeplessness, 38% said it had contributed to depression, 34% said it had contributed to arguments with a spouse or significant other and 24% reported that education debt had contributed to compulsive shopping or spending.” (PR N.2002). Without the weight of debt resting on your shoulders, you are more than likely to invest in your future, take care of your health, and contribute more money to the economy such as traveling or buying a new home. All these bills are preventing copious amounts of people from the lives they always imagined. It is time to stop forcing students to pile on debt to gain a step up in life and time for the U.S. government to invest in students and our future.

Finally, students would have the freedom to choose the school of their dream. When investing in education students want the best out of their money by being in top-rated academic programs. Unfortunately, people's first choice of college is typically eliminated due to them wanting no debt. Writer Mary Leonards concludes,“Using US Education Department data, the committee found that 48 percent of all college-qualified, low- income students and 43 percent of students from moderate-income families will not attend four-year colleges because of financial barriers” (Leonard M.2002). With tuition being so high-priced students are limited and may only be able to attend a community college. Which rise frustration upon students due to the Fact community college is lesser thought about as if it’s a less viable option. The downfall of attending a community college is when you begin applying for jobs against other applicants; it looks more prestigious when one attended a university rather than a community college. Instead of enrolling within an institution such as Jefferson Community College or Gwinnett Tech a lot of people actually want to Invest in their education. Therefore, admitting into Ivy League and Art Institutions such as Yale or Parsons School of Design. As gratifying as attending these schools may sound nearly ⅓ of individuals have the luxury of attending. A substantial amount of individuals has the desire of attending dream institutions as Harvard but can’t afford $50,000 worth of fees.

In conclusion, education is an extremely important factor throughout the nation. In order to succeed in life, people need the knowledge and skills required to maintain a suitable lifestyle. Education has no limit and shouldn’t be limited to minorities or lower class citizens. With college affordability being the top concern on why citizens don’t attend. Creating free tuition will make institutions more accessible to people, demolish debt, and promote freedom to students toward choosing their top school. Free education is equivalent to a better one and allows more students to be prepared for their future endeavors.