Free Higher Education As An Idea

Abstract A free higher education system has been investigated as a potential remedy for the rising problem surrounding the financial stability of college graduates in the United States. By eliminating tuition fees for both public and private colleges, the pressure on the nation’s population to pay for the rising cost of living after earning a degree would be lessened. By reviewing the historical justifications for free public education, the problem of educational inequity, and the potential to lower college graduates’ debt, I will challenge this viewpoint.

The United States is seen as a strong first-world nation that offers its residents the chance to pursue their dreams without restriction. Unquestionably, America is capable of granting its people the rights outlined in the U.S. Constitution. The unalienable right to education has been overlooked despite its significance to our society. Free higher education holds the key to addressing the massive student loan debt problem, the lack of political awareness and involvement, the shortage of workers in the professional professions, and the wealth divide. The ease of access to higher learning is a major contributor to the obstacles that these younger generations are encountering as they attempt to enter adulthood. Additionally, providing free education to those who want to get degrees would help our country become more prosperous in the future.

The “optional last step of formal study” is higher education, commonly known as post-secondary education. Young adults have a variety of options for furthering their education, including community colleges, public or private universities, and adult education online programs. Adults from varied socioeconomic origins may get the information they need from these schools to pursue the careers of their choosing. The stability of Americans’ finances is impacted by the expense of an education. Reforming our educational system would result in a more robust labor force with a narrower income divide. This access to free higher education applies to all colleges and universities for their tuition costs in accordance with the educational equality that all individuals are to be granted.

The American Common Schools, which became the nation’s first system of free public education for kids, were founded in 1838 by Horace Mann. Mann’s philosophy of extensive education included an equal opportunity education that might stop the big national disagreements that were occurring at the time. According to him, “the mobs, the riots, the burnings, and the lynchings, performed by the men of the current day, are perpetuated, because of their wicked or deficient education when they were youngsters,” as he states in his book Lectures on Education. He came to the conclusion that a good education might stop civil unrest. According to past experience, the more wars our country engages in, the more educated people we must produce to fight them. Horace Mann’s beliefs on a free public education system are similar to the beneficial effects a free higher education may have on our nation in the twenty-first century. Free higher education should follow historical precedent by starting with free public basic education, expanding access to college degrees, and eventually moving toward a free education. Along with the demand from college-ready pupils, the need for degrees in the market is continually growing. It is time for our government to keep up with the nation’s rising educational standards. Each component of our educational system respects the same access premise for a better prepared society. Not only does education need to be emphasized, but also the basis of a market economy needs to be destroyed in order to sustain a level of excellent education for all pupils. A college degree shouldn’t be priced according to perceived status or worth. No longer should our young adults’ growth be hindered by an excessive financial burden. When it comes time to resolve urgent problems and elicit solutions from problems generated by earlier generations, the more answers our society has, the better off we will be.

A democratic idea, free higher education seeks to benefit everyone, as opposed to limiting access to a college education to those who can pay it. Because of the idea of for-profit institutions and the growing expenses of attendance at all others, qualified students are being filtered out, which shifts the focus of eligibility away from qualifications and toward financial situation. In the US, persons from the top financial quartile have graduated with an average of 4 more years of education than those from the bottom quartile. Additionally, the higher family income group enrolls in college by the age of 25 at a rate that is approximately 80% greater than the lower family income group’s rate of 30%. Compared to non-college students, college students come from families with greater yearly household earnings. All degrees of higher education continue to follow the pattern of wealth equaling greater education. The richer and more affluent pupils in our nation are drawn to the best and most renowned institutions. Our main defense against the educational disparity that permeates our nation on practically every level is access. By providing free access to the degree of their choosing, we will provide our people the chance to become professionals in their own right. Americans will have greater chances to contribute to society in a positive way, regardless of their social status. Due to the notion of value degradation, many people are against the idea of free higher education. Total accessibility, it is argued, would reduce the value that degrees currently have. The normalcy of a college education would only be reflected by free higher education. A democratic ideal that prioritizes education for everyone is free education. It is crucial for us as a nation to assist our citizens in setting an equal standard for everyone. Free higher education would result in a more politically aware and engaged populace, one with lower crime rates and more professional competition. It’s time for American society’s culture to put aside its goals of profit and support the internal growth of the nation.

The reality is that those with college degrees are starting to have problems as well. In America today, there are over 1.4 trillion dollars in student loan debt. People in our nation who spent money they may not have had in an education that was meant to help them succeed are the ones who are responsible for this debt. The cost of living is always rising in the United States, and the high price of an education is harmful to the growth of young people’ independence. Less college grads are able to own houses. According to data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, graduates will often choose not to take on the extra debt connected with house ownership or will find it difficult to get a mortgage loan due to their student loan debt’s negative impact on their credit ratings. Students are choosing to pursue higher education depending on their capacity to pay due to the high cost of a college degree. According to statistics, people with lower incomes are more likely to seek an associate’s degree, whilst those with higher incomes are more likely to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree often pay more than jobs requiring an associate’s degree. This means that as long as the same economic class has access to greater levels of educational attainment, the wealth disparity will widen at this pace. The most promising path to improving one’s financial situation is a college degree. It’s referred to as the “great equalizer.” Our present trend is for grandparents’ educational standing to be the same as that of their grandchildren and subsequent generations. Realistically, free higher education may reverse this economic and educational trend and help young folks take the next step toward becoming independent adults. Those who have already received a free higher education are seen as having an edge in their future endeavors. The problems graduates face while trying to purchase a vehicle, a house, and pay for the rising cost of living would be significantly lessened if we allow everyone this right. Instead of the financial concerns related to the high prices of college, education should increase students’ desire and effort toward achievement.

In the end, the worth of a population that is educated should be valued when answering the issue of whether higher education should be free. Free colleges and universities would make it easier for American students to become contributing members of society. Future citizens of our nation will be able to use their money for their wants, families, and pursuits in the future. By providing free higher education to all of our residents, we would be equipping our adolescent adults with the means to combat the global issues that must be solved in order to achieve an effective society and a good standard of living. The world is changing, and instead of using education to discriminate against certain classes, our nation will provide every eligible citizen access to free educational opportunities.