Education is necessary for this day and age. According to the website Edlab in 2013 by Kafoumba Doumbia, education gives us a knowledge of the world around us and changes it to something better. Education gives us this feeling of power that nothing else can match. A 2018 Education at Glance report released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said that today the U.S. spends more on college than almost any other country. If education is vital then shouldn't it be more like an American right? Radio Open Score in 2014 said that teaching staff gets paid 27% of college tuition, while the rest goes to things like research and public services. I believe that college should be free or at least cost less than it does now.

It's common knowledge that student debt just keeps on rising and rising. According to the website Vittana by Crystal Ayres, student debt increased by 39% from 2011-2015. If student loan money went to other things, then attending to the aftermath of free college wouldn't be so hard.  Students would be able to have a better focus on their education instead of hunting for a job that will cover their tuition cost if college was free. If they couldn't find a suitable job, then they might have to get a loan which ties in with what was previously mentioned. The website Penn Gifted in 2018 by Matthew Hicks says that students would have the ability to pick a major that's financially stable. Instead of a job that pays off all of their debt, students get to choose a job that they personally want to do.

To some people's surprise, this idea of free college isn't as new as a concept as they think it is. One of the more known examples, the G.I. Bill, was passed after World War II which gave veterans the opportunity for free education. By passing this bill, it changed the veterans lives and helped the economy tremendously.  As stated by the website smartasset written by Amelia Josephson in 2018 that free college could boost the country's productivity and GDP as people find higher paying jobs. There are about two dozen countries that have little to no college debt. As reported by the website studentdebtrelief written by Deborah Kurfiss in 2019 that the US' GDP spent on postsecondary education is relatively close to other countries that have free college tuition. Countries like Norway and Germany spend about 1.96% and 1.35% on post-secondary education while the U.S. spends about 1.36%. If two dozen countries can have little to no college debt than so can the U.S. Every solution comes with its cons which brings me to my next topic.

It's possible that some students might not take college seriously if college becomes free. Students will probably then put just enough effort to graduate or maybe they will drop out not too long before graduation. Therefore, students won't be as prepared as they would be for jobs after college. One of the most popular arguments for why college should not be free is that college is never truly free. Rather than students paying for their own education, taxpayers will do so instead. My last point is that college degrees could become less valuable. One of the possible results could lead to more underemployed workers who can't make good use of their education.

I have some solutions to some results of free college listed in this paragraph. Since some students won't take college seriously, there should be a policy. That policy will be that students will have to maintain a certain GPA if they want to continue receiving free college benefits. This will help students better prepare themselves for the future. Another idea is that maybe only community college should be free. As reported by the website Pewtrust written by Sophie Quinton in 2019 says that a least 15 different states now cover two to four-year college tuition for some students. Some students wouldn't have been able to go to college without free college tuition. This could help other students like those living in states that don't have free college tuition find jobs that they personally want to do.

In conclusion, free college isn’t a bad idea. I do believe that education should be an American right and that everyone should have easier access to a more affordable education.  Prioritizing college funds could be a possible solution for tax money that has already collected. A new tax doesn't have to be created, and colleges and corporations should also be assisted. The U.S. has to find a way to invest in its citizens so that this country will become a stronger nation. Ultimately the U.S. has to if it wants to keep up with the rest of the world. This is why I believe that college tuition should be free.