For a long time now, there has been a debate about whether or not college education should be free in America. While some people are against this, a considerable percentage think that this might be helpful. Imagine attending university without paying a dime or drowning in education loans: cool, right?

America has one of the most expensive college education systems in the world. A lot of university graduates are in debt accrued from college tuition. A good number of them pay these debts over a lifetime, while most default paying it altogether. For this reason, many have always opted for the idea of a free college.

Should Colleges Be Free In America?

Education is one of the aspects that positively affect society. However, it has become so costly in America that many scholars find it challenging to access it without falling into huge financial arrears. While many feel that free college tuition might help reduce the student debt crisis, many people think that this might lower the quality of education.

Here’s a breakdown of the pros and cons of free university education in America.

Pros of free tuition in universities

There is a positive side to not spending a dime to gain knowledge; obviously. Here is why.

• It will build equal opportunities for all

Since any willing learner can easily get access to affordable education, equal opportunities are created for everyone. This means that even the students that come from a poor background will have a chance to learn and seek job opportunities. Such students can easily join the skilled workforce and get equal opportunities since they are equally qualified.

This will bridge the gap between the rich and the poor; they all have equal opportunities. A tuition-free college education will definitely be a lifesaver to people from low and middle-class income families as it will reduce the cost of gaining knowledge.

• It will improve society

It is a basic fact that when people are educated, they are able to solve problems better. This means that the more educated the population is, the more elevated the society becomes. It is a translational effect that will lead to rapid growth within the society. More brilliant ideas shall be realized, and the workforce in the job market shall be more specialized in their skills.

For this to happen, students need to learn and develop professional skills rather than just excel in their exams. It is wiser to spend time developing professional skills than working on your university dissertation 100% of your time. Seek assistance from PapersBattle and other writing services with the best reviews and save time for skill development.

• It will grow the economy

Today, a university graduate in the USA has an average of 30,000 USD in college debt on graduation. This means that these students continue to accumulate their debt even after school because of interest rates imposed. According to some economic experts, this is the reason why most youth struggle to make ends meet.

If the tuition fee is eliminated, it will be possible for many individuals to start earning good salaries as soon as they graduate and start building the economy. A significant percentage of people feel like institutions of higher learning in the USA have become a money-milking business rather than education centres.

Cons of free tuition in universities

Why is it not a good idea to make an education at the university level cost-free?

• It will result in low-quality education

Many people who criticize the move to make universities free feel that by doing so, this might lower the quality of education in these institutions. For a long time, America has boasted of a strong education system that focuses on worthy learning. Due to limited finances and resources in the institutions, it might lower the eminence of education.

Universities in the USA run some of the biggest research institutions in the world. Cutting down the finances the schools get from tuition fees will definitely limit the funds needed to run groundbreaking research and implementing innovations.

• It would kill private universities

Today, both public and private institutions charge similar tuition fees to their students. This means that the disparity between these institutions is not very huge. However, choosing to make colleges free would see more students opt for a public school, leaving private deficient of students.

This would definitely be a big blow to the economy as such schools will close down. Many people would lose their jobs, thus incomes and businesses will be lost.

• Overcrowded public institutions

Because campus tuition is free, many people will choose to attend public colleges. This will lead to an influx in the number of students. In turn, the resources will be scarce, and people will struggle to get a quality education.

Verdict

This debate about colleges being free in the USA doesn’t seem to be coming to an end any time soon. Although the rising student debt rate is alarming, there are some very negative implications that come with a free college education.

The only solution is to come up with other viable measures to curb the rising student debt crisis in America. This should be more of a global issue and not only America as a country.