A free college education for all? That’s been the dream of many an idealist.

President Obama certainly shares this goal— a year ago he said “The single most
important thing we can do is to make sure we’ve got a world-class education
system for everybody. That is a prerequisite for prosperity.” State university
systems, particularly in New York and California, are tasked to provide all
students— even those of limited means—access to higher education.
Many, especially on the political Left, view public support of education as a
cornerstone of a free and prosperous society.

Thus the current economic hard times have produced great distress. Both SUNY
in New York and the three California state systems, along with many others, have
been forced to dramatically raise tuition. Many states have cut back on support—
the sad and familiar joke being that public institutions have gone from being state
supported to merely state located. Federal funds are also threatened: graduate
students will no longer receive interest deferments, earmarks (a traditional
source of money for higher education) are no longer available, and government
grant money is increasingly harder to come by. More financial woe looks likely
in the near future.

On top of this many questions are raised about the value of higher education. Is
college teaching what students really need to know? Will it really be able to
guarantee graduates a place in the middle class as it has done in the past? Do the
benefits of college justify the increasingly burdensome student loan debt that our
nation’s youth is now saddled with? Higher education, already unaffordable, may
no longer be worth the cost.

It all looks pretty grim.

And yet I believe we are on the cusp of a new world in higher education – a world
that can provide a free (or nearly free) college education for all.

The recession has brought higher education’s woes into sharp relief, but it has not
caused them. Colleges, designed for the world in the 1960s and 1970s, have not
changed with the times. Colleges are still run as top-down bureaucracies rather
than bottom-up communities. Outside of government, few other organizations
operate this way. Anybody can publish and sell a book at Amazon.com. Google
and Apple let their customers determine most of their content.
Walmart empowers even its most junior employees to order products and set
prices. Wikipedia allows any reader to write or update an article. Higher ed’s
institutional structures aren’t like that at all, featuring top-down, inefficient,
bureaucratic command management. Maintaining this old-fashioned system is
ever more expensive and increasingly impossible.

So here are some suggestions for how higher ed can imitate successful
organizations, improve quality, and reduce costs even to zero.

Let volunteers teach classes: This isn’t simply about saving labor costs (though it is
that, too); it is primarily about crowd-sourcing. Just as Amazon, Google, and
Wikipedia are able to tap into the expertise of millions, colleges can do the same
by blurring the distinction between faculty, student, town, and gown. In an on-
line environment there is no limit on the number of classes that can be taught,
and no reason to restrict class offerings to only those taught by paid employees.
Founded in 2009, University of the People will exclusively use volunteer faculty.
Indeed, the distinction between faculty and student is hopelessly blurred in their
model. As a result they aspire to be a tuition-free university open to any high
school grad anywhere in the world. Initially they are offering programs in
business administration and computer science, and are seeking
regional accreditation. While there is no tuition, there are some fees, but the total
cost for a bachelor’s degree will likely be a few hundred dollars, depending on
where you live. By comparison, Texas’ initiative to offer bachelor’s degrees for
$10,000 looks like a very modest goal.

While UoPeople exists solely on-line, residential colleges can and should take
advantage of volunteers. Indeed, classes intended primarily for personal
enrichment (as opposed to career preparation) are possibly better taught by
volunteers than paid faculty. Who better to teach Shakespeare than somebody
whose primary motivation is a love of Shakespeare? Why not empower the
waitress down the street (the one with a PhD in English) to teach a class
on Hamlet? Just as with Amazon and Wikipedia, crowd-sourcing results in the
best coming forward and leading the way. The university will need to establish
rules that enable the winnowing and selection process— just as Amazon does very
successfully with the customer reviews and the best-seller rankings—without in
any way depriving others of opportunity.

Of course volunteers may not be grading papers. Some of that can be avoided by
asking peers, with instructor oversight, to grade papers (as UoPeople will
certainly be doing), but that brings us to the second requirement of a (nearly) free
education.

Automate almost everything: In particular, automate grading. There are today few
reasons for any human being to be grading math or science homework—at least
through the sophomore level. Indeed, faculty graders can be unfair and
unreliable— I speak from experience. Computer grading can be more reliable and
certainly much cheaper. Even for the “softer” subjects computers can be an asset.
On-line campuses at minimum run English papers through Turnitin and a
grammar- and spell-checker before a grader even sees the paper, eliminating the
most tedious labor.

But where computerization isn’t possible, grading can be out-sourced. Western

Governors University hires graders for whom both the student and the faculty
member remain anonymous, and who are required to calibrate their work against
other graders to ensure consistency. This is not free, but it is cheaper than faculty
graders and almost certainly better. For some classes it may even be possible to
outsource grading to India or the Philippines to further reduce costs.

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With volunteer faculty and computerized/outsourced grading, the cost of many
classes can approach zero. But there are still some classes that need to be
professionally taught and for which grading is not a primary expense. I’m
thinking of the core introductions to the disciplines, such as Intro to Psychology,
Calculus, or General Chemistry, etc. How can these be taught more cheaply?

Let the winner take all: If my grandchildren ever decide to take calculus, I want
them to have an excellent instructor. Indeed, I’d like them to have the best
instructor in the country. In times past that would require attending an elite
liberal arts college. But today (or more likely, tomorrow) there are more and
better choices.

These already exist for languages. A quirky company called Rosetta Stone has
largely put college foreign language instruction out of business. For
approximately $200/semester one can learn almost any language one wants—not
quite free, but much cheaper and (apparently) more effective than the college
classroom. Rosetta Stone is a good example of winner-take-all; it has cornered
the market not because of some government license, nor because only
their employees know languages, but because they are better and cheaper.
Why not do this with calculus, chemistry, psychology and all the rest? This will
eventually happen. In each of those disciplines a product (or, hopefully, two or
three competing products) will emerge that is manifestly better than anything
any individual college can produce in-house. Why has it not already happened?
With foreign languages one can either speak the language or not—a short
conversation will test. Whether or not one gets credit for the class is
completely irrelevant. The Carnegie Units awarded by academic language
departments therefore have no value and are unsellable.

With general chemistry, on the other hand, it is much harder to know whether or
not the student has actually learned anything—a short conversation won’t do.
Therefore the Carnegie Units are still valued, and a general chemistry class that
doesn’t come with credit will find few takers. What is needed is a recognized way
to establish competence independent of Carnegie Units. Once that happens the
winner-take-all world quickly follows.

A current project at Stanford University offers a path forward. Stanford is

teaching a free, on-line class in artificial intelligence. As of August 15th news
reports indicated that 58,000 people had registered. I have a friend who is signed
up, and he reports that now enrollment is over 100,000. Stanford is not awarding
credit for this class—no Carnegie Units involved. Instead they are doing
something much cleverer and much more subversive.

Stanford will rank the students in order of how well they do in the class and send
them a certificate accordingly. Coming in first in a class of 100,000 will be quite
an achievement—worth far more than any Carnegie Units. That person (or more
likely, thousand people) will have a credential they can take to the bank. More
generally, the organizations that offer world class instruction in the disciplines
can keep their own records of how well students do. This will serve as a
transcript, rendering the college transcript and the associated Carnegie Units
irrelevant and unmarketable.

Carnegie Units are a problem, and that brings us to the final suggestion.

Break the cartel: What might be called the “Carnegie Cartel” survives because it
serves the best interest of existing institutions. Like all good cartels, it reduces
competition by raising the cost of entry and by fixing prices. It is enforced by
accrediting agencies, appropriately run as voluntary associations of existing
institutions, dedicated to keeping newcomers out. Acquiring and retaining
accreditation is expensive: including faculty and staff time along with the
opportunity cost, a seven-figure price tag for an accreditation visit is not an
unreasonable estimate. This does not include considerable efforts spent on on-
going assessment, processes for continuous improvement, and collecting all the
other ever more arcane documentation demanded by accreditors.

A cartel maintains a grip on the market because it controls an essential resource

that everybody needs. For the Carnegie Cartel this resource is access to state and
federal financial aid—money not available to unaccredited organizations and
individuals. But this resource is now threatened by several developments.

First, the recession has simply reduced the funds available.

Second, many shady for-profit colleges have successfully gamed the system and
are now reaping a disproportionate share of funds, corrupting the entire
enterprise.

Third, the cartel’s currency—Carnegie Units—are no longer a very good proxy for
educational achievement. The system is flummoxed by on-line or blended
learning, not to mention on-line short courses taught by volunteers. Accrediting
agencies have never heard of crowd-sourcing.

Finally, and most important, the advent of free or nearly free education
eliminates the value of the cartel’s franchise. Federal funds are not necessary.

No cartel serves the interest of its customers, and the Carnegie Cartel is no
exception. It has frozen an over-priced, outmoded and dysfunctional educational
system in place. It needs to be broken up. I believe that is gradually happening
now. Breaking the cartel will sharply reduce the cost of higher education across
the board.

A free college education for all? The UoPeople experiment is testing the free
education model today. If it is successful, it will spread more or less rapidly, and
even if that particular effort fails it will only be a few years before somebody tries
again. So I am not presenting a radical vision for the distant future, but rather
describing something that is happening now or very soon. A (nearly) free college
education for everybody is not only possible, but likely.
But it will be a bare-bones education, and many students will want to pay for
something more. What might they pay for?

 The residential college experience is valuable even if the general chemistry class is out-sourced. The
college can provide accompanying laboratory experiences and/or recitation sections.

 Students need a peer group. Classmates form the beginning of a professional network that will last a
lifetime. Attending classes and studying together is valuable, even if the classes themselves are free.
Peer group facilitators will be in demand.

 Some classes— analytical chemistry comes to mind—require expensive equipment along with a
technically trained instructor. This will never be free.

 College faculty won’t get paid much for teaching, but they can still earn a living as tutors, research
mentors, coaches, team-leaders, advisers, counselors. These skills cannot be computerized and
students will pay for them.

I am in favor of a free college education for all, despite the inevitable dislocation
in the higher education community. I hope these changes happen sooner rather
than later. But I am not starting a political movement. Activism is not necessary—
the die is cast and much of what I predict is already taking place. Not that I’m
against political activism—if you want to do that be my guest.

But could I ask you to please wait for a few years until after I retire?

Daniel Jelski is a professor of chemistry at SUNY New Paltz, and previously served as
dean of the School of Science & Engineering.
Update: The original version of this piece incorrectly stated that students at
UoPeople grade their own papers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ccap/2012/01/19/a-free-college-education-for-all/3/

Today, President Obama expanded on his plan for a government program that
would make community college free for millions of students in the United
States.
Here’s how it breaks down: Federal funding would cover 75 percent of the
average cost of community college, and states would handle the rest. In order
to participate in the program, students have to attend the colleges at least
“half-time,” making “steady progress” toward completion of their program,
while maintaining a 2.5 GPA. Participating community colleges will have to
offer programs that either transfer credits to four-year schools, or provide in-
demand occupational training.

If Obama’s large-scale proposal makes it through Congress, it could have long-

term benefits not just for the students that receive free education, but for society
as a whole.

According to the administration, if all 50 states opt-in to the program it could

help some nine million students per year, and save full-time community
college students an average of $3,800 in tuition every year.

Obama officially announced the initiative at a community college in

Tennessee, whose own similar Tennessee Promise program—which will be
made available to this year’s graduating high school seniors—draws from a
state lottery fund to pay for student scholarships. If Obama’s large-scale
proposal makes it through Congress, it could have long-term benefits not just
for the students that receive free education, but for society as a whole.

A 2009 study in Contemporary Economic Policy found that enrollment in

academic programs at community colleges had a significant effect on
subsequent earnings. That’s especially true for women. The study found that
females who graduated with a two-year degree earned almost 46 percent more
than high school-educated women. Male graduates, meanwhile, earned
12 percent more than high school-educated males. Surprisingly, even women
and men who didn’t complete their degrees still earned roughly 10 and five
percent more, respectively, over their high school-educated counterparts.
 A 2014 executive summary from the American Association of Community
Colleges noted similar earning benefits for students:

The average associate’s degree completer will see an increase in earnings of

$10,700 each year compared to someone with a high school diploma or
equivalent. Over a working lifetime, this increase in earnings amounts to an
undiscounted value of approximately $470,800 in higher income. The present
value of the higher future wages that community college students will receive
over their working careers is $469.3 billion.

Community college can benefit society in several ways, according to the

report. Higher education is correlated with lifestyle changes that end up
costing society less for health costs, crime, and unemployment. And the skills
students acquire at community colleges benefit businesses by increasing
worker productivity. The increased business output, coupled with the higher
wages community college graduates earn, benefit society as a whole by raising
prosperity and strengthening the economic base.

Obama’s proposed program—still in the very early stages—already has its

critics. The president’s proposal will still need the approval of Congress to ever
take effect. That, like any other proposal that comes from the White House,
will be a tough sell to a Republican caucus.

 Yes! Yes! Yes!

 Knowledge should not come with a price tag. I actually wish it was how it was back in the days when
people were taught their professions by other people while on the job, or accepted into schools based on
high marks. Winning a scholarship should be attainable to all people who do well academically.

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 It's a right, not a privilege.

In the US, higher education is seen as a privilege and not a right, but not everyone has that privilege and
with the way higher education costs now, less and less people will be able to go. Sure there's aid, but it's
not enough to cover the rising costs without putting students into an insane amount of debt. There's only
a limited amount of money one can take out without having that extra stress in their lives, and not
everyone can get their parents to pay or help take out loans. For example, my parents couldn't cosign for
me to take out student loans for college because their credit was so terrible (they lost their house a few
years ago). I was then told by the financial aid office "you don't have to go to college if you can't afford
it". Now a year has passed since then and I'm planning to drop out because the costs have risen even
more and I'm getting less aid. Eventually this has to stop, because clearly the way things are going now
don't work and they haven't for a long time now.

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 Yes
 Education is the most important thing you can have. You can go anywhere with an education. We as
humans need currency to get around and basically live, you wont have that if you dont have a job. A
(good) job is acquired through an education. If you cannot afford an education, then you're considered a
failure?

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 Absolutely!

Everyone should have access to college educational opportunities. Just because you can't pay for it
doesn't mean you shouldn't go. If higher education were free, maybe some people would be a bit
brighter. And in my very personal opinion, if you haven't gone to college, then you should have no vote
in whether college is free or not...

Posted by: Collegekid1592

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 Higher Education should be free!

 some people cant afford it and if they really are showing intrest in getting a higher education they should
be able not having to worry about the cost.

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 Higher Education should be free

People have more opportunities for job and employment if they are educated meaning they have access
to material conditions which they need for better life such as health care and some necessary services
which give protection and safety. In addition, if someone from a poor background got educated, he or
she can escape from the poverty cycle and generation gets improved with the help of jobs and being
employed as a result of higher education. Higher education means good jobs and employment. If more
people are highly educated, people will be more considerate, responsible, independent,and reliable for
some reasons. All people should be given the rights to free education to get rid of poverty and
inhumanity. It doesn't mean people who aren't educated are inhumane. Of course, there are some
people out there who are way more intelligent and ethical then people who are educated.

Posted by: maynadikyaw

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 Yes, Yes, and Yes.

 As more people get degrees, jobs that required a High School diploma are now demanding Associates
and Bachelor degrees. The lower your degree the more years of experience are demanded from you by
the firm you are applying to. As a result, a college degree is becoming a necessity for High School
graduates in order to find a job that pays a living wage.

The government should fund the universities and colleges directly rather than give out loans to students
so that the students will not be overburdened by debt and be forced to move back with their parents.
People are more reluctant than ever to start a family because they feel they cannot handle the expenses
of a child while the married couple have yet to pay Uncle Sam his money. People will be less likely to
spend money, which is bad for the economy and businesses; especially when people are underemployed
because of the current economic climate.

If the government wants to truly stimulate the economy, they will forgive student loan debt so that
people can get that piece of paper that qualifies them for a job, start their lives, and get the money
flowing out of the pockets and into the economy.

From a quality standpoint, making higher education a taxpayer funded entity will not diminish it's quality.
What will diminish it's quality, however, are the individual professors that care more about their own
projects and research than teaching students; which is what is happening today. The schools can remain
prestigious by accepting those who meet their standards, prestige should not be based on how much
money you spend for your degree.

Making higher education free is a fiscally and socially responsible decision that will ensure everyone has a
chance to earn a degree without having to jump through hoops in order to get enough money to attend a
college/university. This country could enjoy a well-informed and educated population that contributes a
great deal to our nation. As it stands today we as a country are one of the least educated among first
world nations, and I firmly believe that this is because higher education is out of reach for so many. This
needs to change.

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 This is a no-brainer.
 All we are hearing, is news of tuition rates increasing. This is not setting a very good example of the
incentives for attending college. People need to be motivated, and feel inspired. College, is much more
than memorizing key terms, for a quiz, suffering from sleep deprivation, and stressing over getting a
'REQUIRED' course cancelled at the last moment.

The focus, needs to be on the student's. Give student's the opportunity, and drive to discover the true joy
of learning, without imposing all of the monetary constraints that have become so commonplace.

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 Education should be about inspiring ones mind , not just filling their head.

Education should be provided to every individual at no cost. Education should be out there to inspire
peoples mind and not just filling their head with others perspective. Every individual has the right to learn
and be educated, and have the opportunity to view this world in a different perspective and do
something on their own. But the cost of education is so unaffordable to some mankinds that it is just
ferocious for them to even consider paying those education bills off.

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 University is an easy way to change the economy

With a higher education status it is easier to find higher level jobs and is best for most people. If
everyone was able to have access to university it would be easier for poorer people to change their living
 situation. Also people who are smarter and cannot afford to go will then be able to go possibly help our
country move forward in evolution.

 likened ? Higher education is the mineral water that is produced by professors with high investment. It
should not be free. Another reason is at free higher education leads to poor quality because it will be
supplied or served by low paid (unmotivated) human resources. BRAVO GATS

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 Not entirely

There should be special student loans for those who have less money, but not free. If they could find a
way to do this without raising taxes and increasing spending, I'd be fine. To be quite honest, that won't
happen.

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 Absolutely not ... (Global Village)

Generally I would say that it’s a good thing, to offer education to all for free. But if you take a special
view on this, you will notice, that the government cannot offer free education just like that. The
government would have to make more money, so they would increase the taxes. So it’s another way of
 redistribution.
And if you think, that everyone would have better chances for a job now, then you are wrong. Because
there are also other skills asked for some jobs which you can’t learn at the university, for example
practice experience. So it’s a bad thing, to offer free education to everyone.

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 No, because many vocations do not need or require higher education.

The cost of providing higher education would outweigh the benefits to society. Many vocational jobs
require apprenticeships and in-house training, rather than a college degree. So, a college education
would not be necessary for many. Furthermore, this would likely further exacerbate the unemployment
issue, as there would simply be more qualified candidates vying for the same career opportunities.

Posted by: MarkBuII

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 No. as soon as it is free, the value of it will go down.

Money is needed to fund education, research, and advancements. Tuition is necessary, and as soon as
you hand out education for free, the overall value of that education will go out the window.

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 If it's free, will we value it more or less?

If we made education free I feel that the value for education would plummet in a downward spiral, along
with the value for education. The reason why we value our high education so much is because we know
we're putting a lot on the line for the education we seek. The loans we have taken out for this education
is what reminds us why we're pursing out this dream. If it was free we wouldn't have as much drive and
not to mention many would abuse this education policy. If we made education free how would the
professors who teach us get paid? Or the faculty who serves the school? There are many issues with
making education free. But if they could lower tuition and give colleges more funding to help support
students with their educational needs that would be the proper solution to this issue.

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 It could fail in the USA.

Look what people are doing with their rights, which are mostly free. Even if you got it free, that would
just start different way of not letting in some people into the best schools. More tests, more everything.
Making it free would make it good for some professors as the demand could go up, but then it would be
just like a high school program.

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 0

 There will be consequences.

Especially when it comes to other means of collecting money from the masses. It is highly likely that the
government will expect income from other sources such as rise in tax and ultimately rise in everything
possible. And to add, providing it for free means bad quality of education because everyone can afford to
have it. Teachers will be less inspired to teach since what they do is something the children hardly value,
because they got it for free. Schools also will be of less quality since everyone has access to it. In short,
good things come with a price.

Posted by: ggcool

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 More qualified college grads competing for jobs will reduce pay for all.

There are already tons of graduating college students out there competing for the same few jobs. The
more desperate they become, the more likely they will be to accept those "good" jobs at lower pay. Also
I think it says a lot about a person who worked really hard to come up with the money to put themselves
though school. In the U.S., I know from personal experience that anyone can do it if they put the time in
and work hard enough. I earned the majority of my tuition working two jobs near minimum wage, I
borrowed the rest and I am paying it off with the job the college degree helped win me. If it becomes
free employers will expect it from everyone as a basic requirement, and having a college degree won't
mean much more than having a high school diploma. This country cannot afford to be offering any more
handouts, though I do favor this handout over funding some other country's war.
Max April 2, 2015 · 4:06 pm
Once again, a topic that directly concerns today’s youth has been brought into the light.
As a junior from a low middle class family, college is a massive issue. However, the
worst part of the issue is that people in my place tend to worry more about the cost of
tuition more than the courses that a school offers. With the massive bags of money that
this country spends on its eerily large military and politician trust funds, I highly doubt
that college costs, even community college costs, should be such a problem. Sadly, this
isn’t the case. Our money is less focused on those who actually need it as they struggle
through the educations that should be guiding their career paths. As a young person
who will go to college in a few years, I am heavily disgusted by that fact.
President Obama, I applaud you. It’s about time that a man in power actually does
something beneficial for the little guy. See, I have no idea what conservative politicians
are thinking when they say that those who own colleges or run this country’s education
system shouldn’t spend so much money on college students. I’d prefer that rich
individuals and those who run everything spend their gratuitously large budgets on
something useful. Of course, that would involve rich people be selfless for once, and we
all know how rare that has been since…well, since the beginning, really. Considering
that the money will go to those who have the potential to make a large difference (or at
least up the game of various occupational fields) in the world, I think that a tiny dent in
privileged wallets shouldn’t hurt too much. President Obama, thank you for allowing
those without privilege to be able to leave a powerful impact and to gain a proper
education. Thank you for realizing that there are more important things for our
government to fund than a war that we don’t need to fight. Thank you for spending
money on a progressive future for this country, and hopefully the world as well.

Maiah April 2, 2015 · 4:06 pm

Education is very essential for a human being’s growth. Having and education allows us
to be eligible for certain jobs, allows us to pass our knowledge on to others, and allows
us to become successful in life. But how can we grow if we’re forced to pay for school to
get a higher education? We’re lucky that school is free up until the 12th grade because
we get to learn the basic learning skills and information. But if we want our knowledge
and skills to grow, we have to go to college. We have to pay for college. Many people
don’t attend college because of the costs or they end up not attending the college that
they wanted. Is this what people should be forced to do just because they can’t afford
college? The price tag on education is hurting human beings’ chances at growth. We
can’t grow if unaffordable education is sprung on us. Human beings want to learn, but
can’t get the education because it’s not free. Getting and education is a choice, not a
mandatory thing. I feel if people want to get an education, it should be free because
they’re challenging themselves. Free college is the key to growth and success. College
that you have to pay for may only prevent this. Who doesn’t want a chance at success?
I’m sure mostly everyone does. We deserve for college to be free.

Kiela April 2, 2015 · 4:07 pm

When considering the amount of money that implementing Obama’s proposal would
cost from the federal government, it initially looks like a self-inflicting debt on the
country. In the long run, however, the ability of free college education would provide a
boost for the economy.
There are some negative aspects to having community college completely covered by
the government. For example, a famous saying is: “Nothing comes free in life.” And this
saying often holds true, but now Obama is offering free education? Opportunities and
chances not previously offered such as these can be taken granted for, and as a result
in some cases students who don’t have to pay can drop out. This would cost the
government, because for every student they send to college for free, they’re making
them an investment. This potential problem could be remedied if Obama’s proposal had
some ground rules, one being that if a student dropped out (which there should be no
reason for) that they would have to compensate the government. Another problem that
some may add is that this applies to C+ students, average. Yet, over exceeding
students who get accepted to Ivy Leagues and private liberal arts colleges can’t get half
their tuition paid. “It comes with the territory”. Of course you might have to pay to attend
an Ivy, and you got into that Ivy because they wouldn’t accept average students.
They’re popular name brand schools, so if you were to go there, in order to get financial
aid you would probably have to enhance it more than it already is. A community college
however, anyone can apply, if they have the funds to receive an average (in most
cases) higher education. Though seen as a unequal distribution of resources by some,
it instead fixes the gap in resources from previous limitations and enrollment
requirements.
But let’s look at how this could benefit the economy. Higher level education is being
made available to all students, and therefore, the issue of not being able to afford
education would be irrelevant. People, who wouldn’t be eligible for jobs before because
of the lack of a degree, are now. They can apply for a variety of jobs and — based on
their specialty– earn money to later consume. And we all know from the Gilded Age that
employment means consumption, and consumption means booming the US economy.
As a result of Obama’s proposal, not only will people be able to consume and actually
buy the products being marketed, but resource wise– the gap between the rich and the
poor will lessen. Resources previously limited due to the lack of funds and favor are
now made available to the ordinary and less fortunate. This is the answer to fixing the
gap that everyone complains about, providing free higher level education and letting
previously unable students further their education.

G. Mota April 2, 2015 · 4:11 pm

Education before college has always been free and every child has been entitled to the
right to be educated until they finish high school. But many people aren’t fortunate
enough to have the means to pay for college. Many people who didn’t finish high school
struggle to find jobs that require them to have at least a high school diploma or GED.
Not many people want a minimum wage job that isn’t satisfying, and to find a job that
pays off in the long run, a college degree is necessary. In today’s competitive job
market, many employers are looking for people who have at least a college degree to
even apply for a job. When people are so disadvantaged that they do not have the
means to pay for post-secondary education, their chances at finding a job that will
benefit diminishes. If community colleges are free students who are parents, or even
struggle to pay their rent will have one less thing to worry about. Everyone is entitled to
education till high school, everyone should have that same right for their college
education. If job markets are becoming more and more competitive, and those people
who can only afford to receive a high school education will most likely only have a
quality of life that the people who didn’t receive a high school degree.
I have been raised on the ideal that education is the most important thing I should focus
on in my adolescence. Since my parents never attended college and my mother never
finished high school, the importance of school has always been enforced. I was always
encouraged to finish high school with a strong academic record so I could to attend
college and get my degree, so then I could find a job that I love and is rewarding.
Everyone deserves to have the opportunity to be successful and have a life that they
actually enjoy. With the help of free community college, many people who have been
previously unfortunate will now have that opportunity.

JasmineP. April 2, 2015 · 6:07 pm

The United States of America is the greatest country in the world, a statement which is
often believed by Americans. The reality of that assertion is that the U.S. desires to be a
world power, but fails to do so. This idea emerged mostly from the U.S. being able to
develop rapidly in the world. In economics the U.S. has tried to position itself with top
world powers such as China; But succeeded in only creating an alliance. America has
also prided itself based on its democracy and status as a developed nation that has
offered “freedom for all” since the dawn of time. While this is true, the U.S. still falls far
behind countries like Finland and South Korea in education. But is education something
that the U.S. can afford to lack in? The answer is no. The U.S. can not consider itself a
potential world power if the citizens do not have access to free education. the reason is
the future of America rest in the hands of students. And since knowledge is power then
America is actually weak being that it ranks seventeenth in the world among world
powers. If America wishes to become a top world power then education is key. And the
only way America is able to climb up the ranks is through making school easily
accessible to all students who are the future of this “great” nation.
The characteristics of a world power is a nation powerful enough to affect the entire
world through its influence or actions. In terms of today, it is equivalent to a powerful
country that dominates all other countries in economy, education, and social
environment. For example, China has a major influence on the economy, due to it being
the largest trading company. If China were to stop producing clothing or any other vital
necessities then frankly the world would be screwed. Mostly the U.S. that depends on
China as their top resource in trade, so if China were not that resource anymore that will
leave the U.S. deserted. But how will the U.S. fill that void, surely not through the
businesses and corporations. Because if the price of tuition continues to increase and
the funding for financial aid decreases then there will be less students that will have the
knowledge to build a successful business. Well if that’s not reason enough, how about
the steady competition America faces to keep up with growing nations such as China.
China not only has the largest population in the world, with seven billion persons, but
also targets America as an obstacle to that top position as leading nation. China has
already surpass the U.S. in education because while the U.S. is seventeenth China is
number one. What the coincidence- or not-China’s college tuition rates are fairly low in
comparison to America, as big as a thirty one thousand dollar difference on
average.The correlation between economic success and test scores is astronomically
high. Instead of cutting down prices and helping the lower class America results to
increasing them while still hoping for a change. America has a desire to surpass China
or any other country, but the strategy they are using doesn’t reflect that thirst. The
easier education is able to be access the more people will take advantage of it which
will eventually stimulate growth in the U.S., allowing it to become a more prosperous
nation. In order to be the best you have to learn from the best. And America is allowing
the short term revenue of tuition control the long term investment into America’s future.
Without a population of educated people the foundation of America is weak and not able
to support itself. If America is weak it will depend on other nations like China to support
it jeopardizing the future it aims to have. In order to be a world power, a nation has to be
strong and equipped to support its people let alone the world.

Jessica C April 2, 2015 · 6:07 pm

At a young age I realized that in order to succeed in this world, one had to establish
their own human capital in order to differentiate themselves in the workforce. We live in
the age where the higher the degree, the more money you make. However, with rising
costs it is becoming harder and harder to finance the costs of college, while still
receiving a good enough degree to survive on. In my opinion, like primary and
secondary education, post-secondary education should be offered for free. If free post
secondary education was offered for free underprivileged, slightly privileged and
privileged individuals would all benefit.
A month ago I went to a movie screening, at The Chicago Urban League’s Black History
Month Film Festival, where we watched a film called “The Homestretch”. This film
showed the world a perspective that I had never seen in a film before. The perspective
was from that of homeless teens living in the city of Chicago. Teens who had no control
over the current situation that they were forced to live in. The students struggled to keep
their grades up, struggled getting to school on time, and they struggled with things that
most people don’t have to worry about until their adult years, like where they will sleep
or what their next meal will come from. These students struggled throughout their life
and many of them are still struggling to this day. One of the young men in the film knew
what he needed to do in order to be successful. He knew that despite his situation, he
needed to go to school and get an education in order to leave his mark in this world of
work. The young man went through a GED program, and other networking programs to
help him learn what it’s like to be in the business world. However, none of those
programs put him in a place where he could be financially stable to the point where he
would never have to worry about money problems. And none of the programs gave him
the opportunity to receive a college degree. Those without a college degree earn
significantly less than those with a college degrees. If he was offered an opportunity
where he could study for free, he would be able to differentiate himself in the workforce.
Having a higher education, despite of the many circumstances that he has experienced
throughout the course of his life, would provide him with an opportunity to create a
brighter future, not only for himself, but for the generations of his family that follow him.
Not all people are privileged to the point where they can pull money out of their pockets
and just pay for college, pay for loans, pay for travel fees, pay for room and board, and
pay for the many expenses that come along with embarking on the journey to college. In
a city like Chicago, this could possibly be a solution to gun and gang violence.
Individuals often turn to alternative activities in order to make money, however, if they
could learn the things that they were interested in learning for free, not only would social
issues like gun and gang violence have solutions, but we would live in a whole new
world of possibility.
Most middle class students can barely even afford to go to college. Recently, in my AP
Microeconomics class, we studied data and watched informational videos about today’s
economy and the distribution of income. In today’s society, the rich continue to get
richer, the poor continue to get poorer, and the middle class only earn a little bit more
than the poor. The data used 100 people to represent the United States economy, the
40%-60% of the American population was middle class. Those middle class individuals
earned less than sixty percent of what the top 10%, the richest people, made within a
year. With the middle class making extremely less than the richest people, making
slightly more than the poorest individuals, how will those people cover the costs of
college? My mother and father have 4 children: myself, my four year old sister, my three
and one year old brothers. I would consider us a middle class family. My parents, along
with many other parents, will have to take on the responsibility of paying for multiple
children to go to college. Regardless of scholarships and grants, costs of college are
incredibly high. A free post-secondary educational opportunity would even help benefit
middle class families. Most middle class families can’t afford to whip out thirty to forty
thousand dollars a year to cover tuition costs. An opportunity to receive post-secondary
education for free would be amazing, it would allow students to learn as much as they
want to, while still setting themselves apart from other workers. Opening up a new world
of possibility and opportunity for their future.
Even students with relatively affluent families could benefit from an opportunity like this.
Those students would be able to start a future for themselves, make a difference in their
own lives and create their own success, without their parents or families being involved.
Take Hailie Mathers for example, the daughter of rapper Eminem (also known as
Marshall Mathers), who is currently a student at Michigan State University studying
engineering. As a student myself, I’m sure that she has set goals for herself to go as far
in her education as she can. And eventually she may come to the point where she
wants to be responsible and mature and no longer rely on her father’s money, if she
already hasn’t. Students like Hailie Mathers would be able to create their own success
instead of relying on the success of their family, which is an amazing opportunity within
itself.
Free post-secondary education creates so many opportunities for individuals around the
world, regardless of their economic situation. With rising costs, it seems as though no
one can cover the costs of college, and even those who are wealthy realize how
expensive those costs are. Education is priceless, and in order to successfully survive in
the world built on labor, one must differentiate themselves based on human capital,
talent and many other factors, economically. However, I entreat you for a moment to
stop thinking about things monetarily and economically. Offering free post-secondary
education would not only give more students the opportunity to expand their knowledge
and further their education, but it would also increase incentives for graduates to
gratuitously give back to their college. Many believe that colleges won’t receive funding
due to the costs of colleges being eliminated, but the funding won’t cease. Students in
Chicago can enroll at any community or city college for free and take a dual enrollment
class and can receive their associates degree, before graduating high school. I mention
this to say that, students are already embarking on the journey of success. Why would
one want to deny students the rights to further their education? The higher the
education, the more successful one becomes and the greater the incentives become to
give back to communities, colleges or universities, and other factors that have
influenced the lives of many.
I staunchly believe that free post-secondary education will have egregious advantages.

Ronald April 2, 2015 · 7:56 pm

In my opinion, I believe that everyone should try their best to further their education in
order to be able to live the lifestyle that they dream of having in the near future. But the
real question is should their be free college education. Yes and No. I said yes because
some students who would want to further their education and go to college don’t have
the funds to do so. So being the great student they are and having a 2.5 gpa or above 2
years of community college being free would be great for them! I also think that with that
they would be able to get some type of scholarships for the university that they are
trying to go to in the future. So I think it should be free.

Danielle April 23, 2015 · 11:59 am

I’m 15, I always wanted to go to college to be a vet. I don’t want to be a vet anymore,
but i still want to help animals. When I wanted to be a vet I knew that i would have to go
to college. College at this point doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen. I’m from a middle
class family and we do not have the money to put me through college, even if I were to
get a scholarship. Scholarships probably won’t come my way because I don’t have the
best grade, I have never been a straight A student, but Ive always wanted to go to
college. If this were to actually happen then I would have the chance to go to a college
and better my life. To have a brighter future.

Bryan April 28, 2015 · 6:24 pm

Some students want to go community collage before they actually go to a real collage
so this would only help them even more this is only the tip of the ice berg. If more
people go to collage this helps to get a degree and find more jobs. if people find more
jobs, then those owners of a businesses would have to make more of whatever their
buildings are and their business would flourish and eventually, hopefully lower our debt
with china.
Justina May 1, 2015 · 8:53 pm
Only unless the student has a GPA higher than that of 3.0. That shows that he/she take
their eduction serieously, and that the governemt will not be wasting money on students
that don’t care.

Stephanie May 15, 2015 · 2:55 pm

I do agree with President’s Obama proposal ONLY if this proposal includes stipulations
such as:
1. GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a high GPA shows that they take their education
seriously and this in return would be a good investment of the government funds.
2. If the student drops-out, they should reimburse the government for the funds invested
in them. Those funds could have been used for someone else that really wanted to
study.
3. Students must be enrolled in college immediately after their high school graduation
and be a full time college student.
These are only some of many stipulations that should be taken into consideration.

Johnathan May 20, 2015 · 12:12 am

The average college student is $30,000 in debt after they’re done with accomplishing
their degree. That number is astronomical and needs to change because in the end of it
all, having a degree with that debt means nothing. Young adults that attend college put
in long hours of studying, working long days and nights and for them to have to pay a
huge debt after everything they have done is unfair. I believe college tuition; housing
and books should be free. With all of those essentials being free, I believe students
would gain their degree at a quicker pace because they would not have to worry about
paying fees or having to rely on their parents on paying it for them. I personally have a
lot of intelligent, bright minded friends, but the reason being why most of them are
working or attending a small community college is because of the expensive costs of
bigger colleges. If tuition, housing, and books were free, I think we would get a higher
number of educated young adults graduating from bigger colleges. Transportation
shouldn’t be a hassle either, considering there are various ways we can get to school at
an inexpensive rate (bus trolley, your car). Education should be priceless because there
is no limit when it comes gaining knowledge.
My tuition is free because of my father’s service to our country. Therefore, I am entitled
to the bog waiver. My only expenses are books and transportation so there is not much
to complain about for what I pay for because it’s easily affordable. College should be
affordable; therefore I shouldn’t have to pay any taxes. Though, since it isn’t, I would
understand why they would make me pay a little extra on taxes and that is to help out
the higher educated young adults with education that are in debt. Taxpayers shouldn’t
fully pay the student’s debt but we should all meet half way. Meaning, we should make
their debts manageable after the student is finished with getting their degree. Taxpayers
might not like it but it would sure make my fellow colleagues lives a lot easier.
The cost for college increases every year. Since 2007 the cost of college has increased
an incredible 25%. Colleges make millions, maybe billions. Yet, they still have students
pay unmanageable fees. If college were free, or at least affordable, students would take
full advantage of it. With an education you can accouter any job you desire. It’s a shame
students have to pay so much to get a chance at success. Humans want to learn and
succeed and that shouldn’t cost them a dime. Is education really worth all that money in
end of it? Although, with an education the job opprotunites widen. In 2013 5% of college
students with a degree were umemployed. In today’s world, 50% of young adults with a
college degree are satisfied with their job. Most students that have to pay for their
education have a part time job and they have to concentrate on their job just as much
as getting their schoolwork done. With free education students would concentrate more
on their schooling and not have to worry about working at a part time job trying to raise
money for their education. These part time jobs these college students have, take away
study time.
If college tuition ever becomes free the government could invest their money in more
important causes. The government would no longer be wasting their money but
investing it. More people will be getting their education. Therefore, our country will have
more lawyers, doctors, and many other perks that we lack today. The United States
would be a better place to live in because we wouldn’t lack workers in different
departments. Free college would be perfect if we didn’t have individuals going bankrupt.
People will have more of a positive future after they are finished getting their education.
If free college ever does happen, the opportunity in this country will grow massively.
Students will strive in education and their future careers.

Lance May 22, 2015 · 9:02 am

As we go into the future, many more jobs are going to be created that involve
technology advancements. We are going to need to be educated on how to use that.
We are going to be the future of the economy, and the government.

Keon June 22, 2015 · 5:15 am

I need help. I read somewhere that the government spends more money subsidizing
public colleges than students actually pay for tuition. The example they gave was that in
2012, the government spent 77 billion dollars on educational aid while students spent
62 billion dollars on tuition.
If this is true, and the government is spending more money subsidizing costs for higher
education then students are spending on tuition, then why can’t the government just
make public university free for everyone?
Am I missing something here? Seriously, someone please tell me if this is right.

Brenna July 25, 2015 · 12:47 am

YES. just YES. Please for the love of God make community college free! Why is it that
our government funds elementary and secondary education, but not college? I mean, I
get it if the college is big like Harvard, Yale, or Stanford, but community college is
something that we all need. It would open a new window of opportunities across
America! As a Senior to graduate in 2016, I can openly say, PLEASE MAKE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE FREE!!! I can’t afford college, a car, and car insurance at the
same time! Nor do I want to be up to my nose in debt! Why the heck are those stupid
republican bastards that we call “congress” against something that would benefit the
lives of all students?

States offer children a free public school education until they complete 12th grade. After
that, they have to pay tuition. President Obama recently announced his proposal to
make community college free for many students. Is he onto something? Should students
be able to get a free education after high school?

In “Obama Plan Would Help Many Go to Community College Free,” Julie Hirschfeld
Davis and Tamar Lewin write:

President Obama said Thursday that he would propose a government program to make
community college tuition-free for millions of students, an ambitious plan that would
expand educational opportunities across the United States.

The initiative, which the president plans to officially announce Friday at a Tennessee
community college, aims to transform publicly financed higher education in an effort to
address growing income inequality.

The plan would be funded by the federal government and participating states, but White
House officials declined to discuss how much it would cost or how it would be financed.
It is bound to be expensive and likely a tough sell to a Republican Congress not eager to
spend money, especially on a proposal from the White House.

“With no details or information on the cost, this seems more like a talking point than a
plan,” said Cory Fritz, a spokesman for House Speaker John A. Boehner, Republican of
Ohio.

Mr. Obama’s advisers acknowledged Thursday that the program’s goals would not be
achieved quickly. The president, however, was more upbeat. “It’s something that we can
accomplish, and it’s something that will train our work force so that we can compete
with anybody in the world,” Mr. Obama said in a video posted Thursday night by the
White House.

The proposal would cover half-time and full-time students who maintain a 2.5 grade
point average — about a C-plus — and who “make steady progress toward completing a
program,” White House officials said. It would apply to colleges that offered credit
toward a four-year degree or occupational-training programs that award degrees in
high-demand fields. The federal government would cover three-quarters of the average
cost of community college for those students, and states that choose to participate would
cover the remainder. If all states participate, the administration estimates, the program
could cover as many as nine million students, saving them each an average of $3,800 a
year.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us …

— Should a college education be free? Why?

— Should students have a right to higher education, the way they now have a right to
elementary and secondary education?

— Would the availability of a free college education provide a boost for the economy?
Would it help erase social inequality?

— Would such a proposal be too expensive for the government to maintain? Is it

unrealistic?

— Do you support President Obama’s proposal? Do you think it might ever happen?

esident Barack Obama announced his free community college plan to the
nation last week, and the first wave of critics and advocates have had their
say.

Formally called “America’s College Promise,” the plan is modeled after the
“Tennessee Promise” and offers free tuition for two years at community
college to students who keep up a grade-point average of 2.5 or better, and
who graduate within three years.

Here's a rundown of five pros and cons being debated about the plan so far:

Con: Partisan opposition

The plan may be dead in the water already, considering that it requires
Congress to approve spending for the idea and the Republican majority is
unlikely to support it. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate’s
education committee, has stated he opposes the plan and that it should be up
to individual states to provide a free community college option, similar to
Tennessee’s program.

Pro: It could still be accepted below the federal level

Despite the stated opposition of Republicans in Congress, the idea has
garnered bipartisan support below the federal level: In a state, with
Tennessee’s GOP leadership, for example. And with Chicago, which is led by
Democrats. Presenting the free community college plan puts the idea in the
national conversation, even if it ultimately doesn’t come to fruition. In
pointing out problems with the plan, critics may be forced to present better
alternatives, and workable solutions can emerge.

Con: Existing programs cover poorest students

Free tuition for community college is already available for the poorest
students through federal Pell Grants. More than 7 out of 10 students pay less
than $1,000 per year for community college tuition, including nearly 2 out of 5
students who have grants that pay their entire tuition bill.

Pro: Free community college-level ed may be inevitable

Making two years of community college free would help close the
gap between the haves and have nots in the U.S., especially at a time when
many believethat universal education to the community college level is
inevitable. By raising the bar and building off more two-year degrees, more
people would be encouraged to seek a bachelor’s degree.

Con: The cost

If students receive free community college schooling without regard for their
income levels, America’s College Promise could become a costly middle-class
entitlement program. The estimated cost of the program, over 10 years, is $60
billion.

Pro: Plenty of students likely to benefit

Judging from the results of the free community college program in Tennessee
so far, enrollment would surge when high school students learned that their
own community college would be free. An estimated 9 million students
would benefit.

Con: Increased competition could hurt four-year schools

The program could encourage students to go to community college instead of
four-year schools, which could force some four-year schools to close.
Allocating the estimated $60 billion in federal spending required for the
program over 10 years could mean that less funding will be available for
higher education initiatives and financial aid at four-year colleges and
universities. The plan calls for states to pick up the tab for 25% of the bill, and
state spending on higher education has been trending down.

Pro: States may be encouraged to spend more on higher

ed
Obama’s free community college program could help kickstart increased
commitment by states to spend on higher education. From 2008 to 2012, state
funding for higher education dropped to 22.3% of total revenues from 29.1%,
which has led to tuition increases.

Con: Community college has high dropout rates

The plan doesn’t address what some commentators see as a bigger problem:
High dropout rates in community college of between 66% and 80%.
Pro: Progress and outcomes would be measured
The proposal would address educational quality by requiring community
colleges to adopt evidence-based reforms to improve student outcomes.
Whether or how this would be tied into the Obama college ratings proposal is
unknown.

College and university education has become very important in today's life. Wherever you see an
advertisement for job, there is some certain criteria for certain posts. For example for marketing
executive employers prefer MBA Marketing person, for eye surgeons hospitals prefer oculist.
Without a college degree a person is unqualified for such posts. Some people believe that
university graduates should pay the full cost of their education. Others say that university
education should be free. Let’s consider advantages and disadvantages.

On the one hand, higher education leads to a more educated and productive workforce and it
does offer some external benefits to society Also, everybody will get an equal chance to pursue
higher studies, independent of their economic background and enabling merit to become the sole
criteria. If the education is given free to all then admission will be given wholly on merit basis.
This will result in increase in level of competition. It will be certainly beneficial to everybody
those who could get admissions. Brilliant students will build a strong nation.

On the other hand, if people have to pay to go to university, they would value the education
more. In this situation, students motivation for achieving good performance is expected to be
high. Then, if the government of a country takes policy to fully finance the college education, the
government has to limit the number of colleges and universities since their budget is not limitless
and it will produce many problems. And Top up fees enable more investment in universities. It
will also help attract and keep the best teachers and researchers.

This issue has both positive and negative sides as we saw above. The best thing will be to make
the education free for those who are economically backward, are really incapable of paying fees
for education but they have caliber. But education should not be made free to people who...
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