It is almost universally accepted that a college education is an invaluable asset and one of the best investments a person can make. The potential benefits to furthering your education are widely understood, but many people think college should be free — eliminating the need for hefty tuition payments. In this article, we’ll take a look at why free college education is not the ideal solution for society.
Tuition Costs are Already Subsidized
College tuition has skyrocketed over the past decade in the United States, from an average of $6,636 for in-state public college in 2000-2001 to an average of $20,070 for in-state public college in 2012-2013. However, it is important to keep in mind that a large portion of the costs of college tuition already comes from government subsidies and grants. For example, over 60% of the money a college student pays in tuition and fees comes from government and institutional grants. Therefore, the argument that college tuition should be free doesn’t necessarily hold up when you consider the overwhelming amount of money that goes towards subsidizing tuition prices.
Free College Education Might Not Lead To More Graduates
With free college, one would expect to see more students finishing their higher education — however, this might not be the case. One of the main reasons college tuition is so expensive is because it’s extremely costly to run a college. Without tuition and fees, most universities would need to significantly raise their expenses in order to remain open. Therefore, with free college, there could potentially be fewer colleges and universities operating — and this could lead to fewer college graduates.
Higher Taxes to Finance Free College
Proponents of free college education often point to other countries, such as Germany, which have implemented free college tuition for their citizens. What these proponents often fail to mention, however, is that in those countries the cost of college tuition is funded through higher taxes. This means that in order to pay for a college education, taxpayers would be required to pay significantly higher taxes — adding a financial burden to those who are already struggling with their current financial situation.
Other High Costs of College
While tuition and fees are the largest expenses incurred by college students, they are far from the only ones. Most college students also need to cover housing costs, textbooks and supplies, meal plans, transportation, extracurricular activities and other miscellaneous expenses. Without tuition and fees, some of these other costs could potentially increase — making college even less affordable for the average student.
The Ability to Separate Higher Quality Education
When considering free college, it is important to remember that not all colleges are created equal. With the cost of college tuition, it is possible for students to find higher quality schools, with better resources and faculty. If tuition and fees were removed, then students would not be able to differentiate between high quality education and lower quality education. Without this important criteria, the value of a college education would be significantly diminished.
While college tuition is becoming increasingly expensive and putting a significant financial burden on students and their families, the idea of free college education is not the ideal solution. With the cost of college tuition already heavily subsidized by the government, free college might not necessarily lead to more graduates. Furthermore, in order to account for the costs of college tuition, taxpayers would be required to pay significantly higher taxes — adding an additional strain to those already struggling financially. Additionally, free college would eliminate the ability for students to identify higher quality education and resources, further reducing the value of a college education. Following these points, it is inarguable that free college education is not the solution many think it is.
