Argumentative Essay On Should College Be Free

Many students, after high school, will decide to go to college and hope to become or do something more with their life. This would become a greater choice, something only a few people will be able to afford without the help of others having to pay for it. There are scholarships and sponsorships out there, but those are not for everyone. You do not qualify for a scholarship for they believe you do not have what it takes to make it. Some choose to show that they can and will persevere. According to NITRO, Student Loan Debt, Americans owe an estimated $1.5 trillion in student debt (NITRO College, 2020). With that being said, I believe that college should be free for those who are wanting to go and pursue higher education. It should not just be for those who can afford it.

Many people are living in poverty or cannot obtain a job, this is due to the high raising requirements in the workforce today. If college were free, many more people would be able to get the credentials that are needed for them to get a higher paying job and outstand poverty. Far more people from high-class society are getting a higher education than that compared to the lower or middle class. In an article written by Luke Redd, he stated a fact from the Lumina Foundation. It is as follows, "More than $80 billion is spent each year by the federal government on post-secondary financial aid (2020)." That is $80 billion that could be put somewhere better, like getting more people off the street. People who go to college have a better chance of changing their own life and being able to afford more for their families. Higher education is a way for people to have more freedom to have fun with their talents.

With more debt, comes more stress. When we think of debt, we can think of having to get a job to help cover said debt. Working can take away a student from their education. They would be more focused on the outside work and looking for a job. A study was conducted at a few different colleges and universities, which had shown a relationship between debt and chances of full-time employment. These studies were put into an article written by Herb Booth, one of which is as follows. A study was completed by Arian Froidevaux, author, and assistant professor of management in the College of Business. "Student debt mainly had more negative effects on college students' likelihood of securing a full-time job than beneficial ones," Froidevaux said. "You can do certain things like getting a job during the summer that may help you get a full-time job upon graduation. But in the end, student debt leaves students with a lot of stress, and it is long-lasting (Booth, 2020)." This is very well able to produce enough stress and anxiety on many that they would lose focus on what was truly important, their education. I know about stress firsthand; I am a full-time student and work part-time to help pay for college. There are many nights where I come home tired and still must do homework, I get too stressed out about getting things turned in on time. Free college would be able to produce a more focused education where students can focus and not have to try and find a job to pay off their debt or pay for college expenses. There would still be times when they would have to have a job for other expenses, but they would not have to work as hard or work long nights.

Some put off having a family, because of their debt; they are afraid that their debt would impact their life choices. They believe it would make things worse for them and that can be true. It is more than likely that both parties would have some sort of debt if they went for higher education or any type of debt. Having no debt would provide a better economic benefit, not only to them but also to society. Having no debt would mean that they can buy the house that they wanted or could start the family that they have always dreamed of having. Many do not know what they want to do with their life and with the high tuition rates, students typically only have one chance. With a debt-free college world, students could try their hand in multiple majors to see which would fit them best. College is all about learning what you like and thinking outside the box, creating something new. Students would be able to create new ways of dealing with problems that could lead to a better world (Gaille, 2018).

Some say debt-free college would create financial irresponsibility. A major part of going to college is learning how to manage their finances, firsthand. Having debt is a key part of that. They are creating a life where they must be on time for their payments and establish a good credit score, to make future purchases. If college were free, it would make the financial lessons go away and there would be fewer opportunities to establish their good credit. There would be fewer opportunities to grow financially. This would then devalue the worth of the diploma. Many students would cut class, due to the fact they do not have a personal connection to the diploma that they are working towards (Gaille, 2018). With college, there is always the thought of financial stability. There is always a place to grow financially. Even without the debt, they are still responsible for their own money and how they spend it, they still must pay for their food, gas, etc. With no debt, students would be able to study at their own pace and not have to worry about what they are going to do next, or how they are going to afford this. There would be a greater connection to their education, they know that this is what is best for their life and this is going to help them create the life that they have been wanting.

Someone still must pay for their education. A college education will never be free; it may be free to students, but someone will still pay for it. That would mean that the government would forgive loans, convert them to grants, do whatever it takes to relieve the middle and lower class from such a burden. There would be more and more costs that are switched to the taxpayer providing the money needed for students to go to college. With the government and taxpayers paying for individuals' educations, they can put a limit on just how many students can go to school (Tucker, 2019). With money from taxes going to help pay for schooling would be an upgrade and an investment. This is one investment that would be beneficial. This way we would know where the money would be going to. This is an investment that would last longer than one human being.

With all that, there are pros and cons to having a debt-free education. College is meant for students to learn more about what they want to do with their life, not worry about how they are going to pay for their education. Students work and work to make it in this world; many students work during school to help pay for expenses; while that cannot hurt, it is taking the focus away from their education and can cause more harm than good. Working can never be a bad thing but working to help pay for their education can be harmful. School should not be about worrying about money; they should be there so that they can do something that they love. School should be a place where they make memories and not have to worry about having to work all the time just to save up for after graduation, where most will end up with debt. College, or higher education, should be free to the individuals that wish to pursue a degree of their choice.