Everyone should Enjoy a Free College Education

Students should not have to pay for their college education. A college education should be a right as a citizen to any college student. High school graduates have enough pressure as it is, just worrying about school, and how tough studying can be, to have to worry about the cost that comes with school as well. Free college education results in a positive outcome for all. The following paragraphs will discuss the benefits and measure of fairness brought by a free college education, how the government will benefit from college graduates who earn more money, and the success these initiatives have brought to European countries.

There are strong reasons why college education should be free for all. Statistics show that non-graduates are at a disadvantage to graduates when attempting to reach their highest income in the long run. Non-graduates are unable to compete for the highest incomes in today’s economy. A free education positions graduates at an even greater advantage to non-graduates as they will increase their income potential and eliminate the wait in gaining full participation in the economy due to financial pressures that would otherwise be imposed by their acquired debt burden in college. Moreover, hiring systems today are better prepared to seek out and contract with college graduates than they are with non-graduates. There is a built-in expectation that preparation for a career involves a college education and markedly so in certain sectors of the economy than others. It behooves the candidate to familiarize themselves with the demands of their industrial sector to better understand sector demand and compete for jobs.

The government benefits whenever taxpayers earn more income, and taxpayers will also benefit when college students obtain a degree. A free education supports the contribution workers make to the economy allowing for increases in taxes paid to the government that could not otherwise be justified. A college degree increases an individual’s chances of employment as well as their earning potential. It promotes fairness as workers showcase their skills, receive proper compensation and efficiently contribute to the tax base. College graduates are also less likely to use social support programs such as food stamps and Medicaid, thus saving the taxpayers lots of their taxpayer dollars. Another benefit to the government, college graduates are less likely to go to jail. This reduces the costs of running and maintaining our correctional facilities, as well as post-incarceration costs like probation and rehabilitation. So, we can see how providing a free college education and having our students obtain a college education will benefit our government, our taxpayers, and our society in general.

These initiatives have been tried in Europe. There are northern European countries that have implemented a prosperous free education system. If you’re not afraid of the cold or the high cost of living, tuition is free at public universities in Norway. If you have an exceptional academic background, Finland will offer you scholarships and financial aid as an international student. In some educational programs, Sweden offers a stipend to international students, however, with their high cost of living, the stipend might not be enough. Germany needs skilled workers; therefore, they have put an end to college fees in all its states. They offer many programs in English, so you can easily obtain a degree not knowing a word of German. Slovenia is another country that offers many programs in English. Thus making the case that it is time for the United States to test similar strategies to make education free at the college level and incentivize students to make a strong effort during their college years so they can benefit from a debt-free exit from college and incomes that will support their ability to acquire housing and successfully enter markets that demand higher incomes. A free education and fair compensation for educated employees can achieve all that while improving government services as contributions from income earners to the tax base reach the highest level.

The advantages of free education for future college students and its benefits in tax dollar receipts for the government over the long run provides a strong justification to pursue this initiative in the United States. The debt burden currently imposed on college students during college and the built-in delay in contributing to their quality of life and to society argues in favor of the immediate implementation of this policy. That is why college should be free for all.

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