College should be free

By Evelyn Desnoyers

March 14, 2024

(COLONIE, NY) “Families grapple with the rising cost of a college education.”

“College costs rising faster than financial aid, report says.”

Headlines like these have been dominating the news cycle for the past few years.

Over the last 40 years the cost of college tuition has increased by 169% according to CNBC.  Wages however, only saw an increase of 19%.

As the discussion about the rising cost of college continues one question finds itself as the topic of the conversation time and time again. Should college be free? The answer, yes.

With many unskilled jobs being replaced by AI, those who can not afford the college tuition are left unable to get another job due to their lack of a degree. This problem could be avoided if more people are able to afford a college education.

Research has shown that free tuition will encourage more students to attend college. An SMU study of 33 community colleges across the US done by SMU showed that their free college programs were associated with an increased enrollment rate. An increased number of people in college would lead to a more educated workforce. 

Graduating with no debt would also help stimulate the economy, according to research done by University of the People . Those who graduate with no debt earn, save, and spend more. More spending will increase the number of jobs, thus creating a positive cycle of economic activity.

Those who graduate with debt however, are unlikely to spend as much. Their debt increases with interest, prolonging the time it takes for them to pay it off. Years of paying off debt causes less saving, spending, and economic stimulation.

A free college education will also lead to a more beneficial college experience for students. 

With high tuition costs and the amount of student loans students must take out, students are stressed. They are more focused on how they will pay their loans back and not as focused on their education, according to an article by University of the People. 

Students who are extremely stressed are less likely to do work, impacting their academic achievement. The risk of dropping out also increases as a result of this stress . Getting rid of the stress of paying back loans for education will allow students to focus on their studies and get more out of their time in college. 

People may argue that free college will cause overcrowding, but free college, however, does not equal a 100% acceptance rate. Students will still have to work hard to get into colleges. The standards that students are held to won't change, in fact they are more likely to increase. As more students are able to attend college there will be more competition. More competition will result in students working harder in high school, working harder would then create students who are more ready for college.

Other countries that have free or inexpensive college have seen many benefits from it as well. 

One student from Taiwan, who had a tuition of about $375 a semester, stated in a New York Times article that because they did not have to worry about debt after college they were not as worried about their salary. This gave them the freedom to choose what they wanted to do and did not have to sacrifice their passion for getting paid enough to pay off debt.

This feeling of relief about not having debt is shared by other students who attend college in a country with free tuition. 

In Denmark, students who do not live with their parents are paid a stipend for up to six years. Even if they have a child while at college they still receive their stipend and get a year of parental leave. 

When studying abroad the free tuition comes with them and they are only required to pay for their visa and tickets, much of which is paid by scholarships.

“Starting out with no debt is a huge relief. We can start saving right away for other life choices,” said a student from Denmark.

Free tuition can benefit everyone, not just the students who don't have to pay for college. When more people are able to get a degree and then actively participate in the economy, everyone will benefit.