Free Education In America

Every year, millions of Americans will attend college. Many of those students need to borrow large amounts of money in order to attend. Some may be unable to attend college due to the costs. Those who choose to attend are faced with rising tuition costs and an increasing likelihood that they will need to take on debt to complete their degree. Current college students have lived through the financial crisis of 2008 and are wary of taking out loans to further their education. The cost of college is an issue affecting millions of Americans. As such, it has been a prominent issue in politics. Many politicians, such as Hillary Clinton, have suggested having the government cover tuition costs for its citizens. Such plans suggest a free education
America is a member in a global economy where the need for skilled workers is constantly increasing. A better educated work force would allow the United States to be a stronger competitor in the global economy. Companies have frequently turned to foreign workers to meet the shortage of domestic skilled labor. Many companies want to hire American workers, but it is just simply not possible with the shortage of skilled labor. With a free tuition program, young Americans who previously would not have been able to obtain an education would be skilled workers. Therefore, companies would be able to hire more American workers instead. With American workers earning higher wages, the economy will benefit from their additional spending. Currently, 7.2 million Americans need federal loans to attend college (Bui). The average debt of a amoung students graduating with a four-year degree is over $25,000 (McPherson). For many, this is a lot of debt to pay back when they already have to pay for many expenses. Over a lifetime, the extra income from going to college averages over $1 million (McPherson). Over time, the average increase in income greatly dwarfs the average student debt. Since a free college program would allow every student to graduate college debt-free, he or she would be able to spend more of the money they earn post-graduation. This extra spending would provide a stimulus to the economy.
Many students across the country struggle to afford college tuition. It is quite common to take on debt in order to complete a degree. History has shown that a college education can be essential to succeeding in America. If the government picked up the cost of college, it would allow students to focus on their studies and become better workers. A college education provides young Americans with many more job opportunities. They are much more likely to make more money, and also less likely to be unemployed than those with only a high school education. Not only will America benefit from having a larger supply of domestic workers, the country will benefit from those workers earning higher wages. The extra income they earn will flow back into the economy. Many politicians have suggested a government program to pick up the cost of tuitions. These suggestions have been met with both widespread support and opposition. Providing young Americans with a free public college education would have numerous benefits to society. The country would see great economic and social improvements. Funding students’ college education is more than the right thing to do; it is an investment in a future of the country. A program for free college is essential to pave a brighter future for the United States of