Once young students acquire their General Developmental Education (GED), they are faced with the option of continuing their education at a college or university or pursuing a other option. However, not all students are actually able to get a free college education. Students from financially disadvantaged families tend to struggle to meet the financial demands of tuition and other fees, even if they choose to attend a public community college rather than a university. Average tuition costs at two-year institutions have increased rapidly in recent decades; in 1985, the required fees for an entire academic year averaged $971, and in 2017, the required fees averaged $6,817 (National Center for Education Statistics). This is an increase of 602.06 percent over a thirty-two year period. In today's workplace, a college degree plays a crucial role in success. Wealthier Americans have an advantage and are therefore more likely to graduate, which is unreasonable in today's middle- and working-class society. All young Americans should have a chance to achieve the American Dream, which is the ideal of “upward economic mobility measured by family income and family wealth.” The American Dream is a construct designed to foster a sense of cohesion and the importance and value of an American identity.” This essay explains why college should be free for all students so that every growing individual has the opportunity to obtain a free college education, has the chance to experience financial stability in today's economy, and have equal opportunities to succeed in a career. no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Students benefit from opportunities such as government-sponsored financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other loans or grants to help them. university payments; and although the FAFSA helps many students throughout their college experience, the FAFSA need calculation only takes into account a student's financial situation at any given time, ignoring changes over multiple years. Furthermore, the role of parental support is not fully taken into account; “FAFSA need calculations are heavily focused on parents' income and assets, without any knowledge of parents' willingness or ability to support their college-bound children.” Students facing unique challenges, such as family obligations or lack of support from family, sometimes do not receive additional funding that would help them attend college. People have also expressed criticism of completing paperwork for the FAFSA process, and it is clear that there is room for reform; “The length, complexity, and timeline of the FAFSA have frustrated many students, parents, and institutions, prompting policymakers to demand reform.” If low-income students or questionable parents feel they can't receive the help they need through this form, they will likely feel less motivated to apply for it in the first place. Low-income and minority students with college ambitions often lack understanding of the aid systemfinancial, college admissions requirements and costs and are struggling with the application system. If this process were completely removed and replaced with free tuition, people would no longer have difficulty applying for financial aid effectively, and soaring tuition prices would not have such a negative impact on opportunities educational. Additionally, even when students actually apply for financial aid, they may not receive the help they need and deserve. Unable to meet financial demands, many young people never attend college or drop out at some point before graduating. Higher education is becoming less and less accessible and the student debt crisis is spreading across the United States, even in public institutions. New research shows that the student debt crisis is focused on a specific group of students; nontraditional students who attend two-year institutions like community colleges, as expressed in the following quote; "In 2011, half of all student borrowers attended a for-profit or two-year college, and yet this group accounted for 70 percent of loan defaults, according to economists Adam Looney of the Treasury Department and Constantine Yannelis of Stanford University. In general, nontraditional students are older or first-generation students who tend to live in poorer neighborhoods and who do not attend college right after graduating from high school. When this group begins looking for a job, they typically do not earn as much or benefit from their degree to the same extent as traditional students who complete four years at private or public institutions. This population of students accounts for most of the increase in student debt. Given that this group contributes the most to the student debt crisis and is the group that needs it the most, it is clear that changes need to be made. Community colleges provide students with a local learning environment and the idea of ​​equal opportunity for postsecondary education. . This goal is evident in the common policies of public two-year colleges: “in their “open house” admissions, in their flexible evening and weekend class schedules and in locations convenient to students, and in practice to provide almost any educational experience students feel they need. Attending a two-year college is a great way for people to begin their postsecondary education and alleviate the stress imposed by student loans. On the other hand, concerned observers often protest that students who choose community college face state injustice because even though they have lower tuition, they also benefit from lower subsidies and expenses for their education compared to students who attend high schools. public establishments. It is evident that community colleges may receive less than their fair share of aid, as the following quote shows: "22 percent of federal student aid funds go to community colleges while they enroll 34 percent hundred of all students and serve a less affluent clientele. The hypothesis is that the absence of fair support results in poor educational opportunities, which is particularly troublesome from the perspective of the less affluent community college student body. For students who are occasionally marginalized in higher education, the Pell Grant isthe main form of student aid that does not need to be repaid. The Pell Grant is the most common grant program; it provides annual payments of up to $5,500 (maximum in 2012) for low-income students at eligible institutions. An applicant may become eligible through the federal methodology using a family's EFC (Expected Family Contribution) score on the FAFSA. Because Pell eligibility is awarded based on the net costs encountered by a student in various enrollment options, an applicant's Cost of Attendance (COA) varies by school, making a student eligible for Pell at one school but ineligible at another. This could mean that the school that might be the closest or most likely option for a student might be out of reach. Thus, many young people qualified for higher education and wishing to study may not succeed. The burden of tuition and student debt could be entirely erased if free community colleges were offered to students willing to work. A 2015 Charleston newspaper article states, “As recently as the early 1990s, most students did not take out loans to finance their education. Today, however, nearly three in four college graduates have borrowed to cover college costs, accumulating an average debt of $30,000 each. As a result, U.S. student debt now totals $1.3 trillion.” Free higher education would ease pressure on all students, as well as non-students, while allowing economic mobility for those whose circumstances prevent them from accessing college without the constant reminder of the debt that keeps them weighs. Even when students get the help they need to get through college, many take on huge amounts of debt over the years, which can have negative effects. The burden of debt can make entering the job market for college graduates very difficult. Many young people can only afford to go to college by simultaneously working long hours in low-paying jobs (which reduces the amount of time they could spend studying) and/or taking on huge amounts of debt. This creates situations where students lack time and money, leading to burnout and stress, which can harm the achievement levels of weaker students and compromise their results, as described in the quote next: "Laura Choi of the Federal Reserve Bank reports that economic stress was extremely harmful to individuals' physical and mental health and that this emotional burden led to more absenteeism from work, decreased job performance, and depression ". If the financial burden for so many people to receive an education could be eased, it could certainly help individuals and prepare them for future success, simply by making their lives a little easier. Student debt has dire consequences for new graduates; to the extent that they may feel like they need to avoid making large-scale progress. A survey titled “Student Loan Debt: Who Pays the Price?” » reveals a variety of remarkable statistics on the influence of student loans on college graduates. For example, the survey found that: 50% of respondents said they had been prevented from buying a home, 64% said their current debt would prevent them from pursuing an education, 56% said their loans had prevented them from buying a car. , 21 percent have difficulty founding afamily, 49 percent said they would delay their engagement or marriage because of their own debt, and 50 percent agreed that student loans have limited their career choices. are focused on remembering the debt accumulated from obtaining a degree which is a necessary part of earning enough money in most modern career fields. Additionally, if many college graduates put off large-scale purchases due to student debt, that affects the economy as a whole. There are many benefits of further education after high school for individuals and society; for example, at the individual level it can lead to higher wages as well as better consumer choices and better health. If young people can stay focused on building their careers and futures, this individual well-being will also contribute to the well-being of the country. On a social level, “higher education is associated with greater community involvement, reduced unemployment, reduced crime, and increased charitable contributions of time and money.” Adding two more years to the free K-12 education that already exists will not solve most existing social or economic problems; it's just a step in the right direction and promotes community health and a prosperous society. These personal and societal benefits are of considerable value to “governments at all levels; through these gains, tax revenues increase and spending on welfare and assistance programs is reduced.” Ultimately, making college free and therefore extremely affordable and accessible could be in the best interest of not only students, but also the economy. People who don't support free community college often say that it could lead to waiting lists, that it could lead to academic difficulties. underperformance and that this could reduce the quality of the learning environment, which are all plausible concerns. Given the waiting list argument, free college could undeniably result in waiting lists or an insufficient number of available courses. However, if it was more difficult to secure a place on courses, this could discourage students from taking their place for granted. Most community college students acquire a two-year degree, additional professional training, or the first two years of a bachelor's degree, so students can either enter and exit the institution more quickly, if they have the opportunity to move forward and embrace their career or a path to additional education at a four-year university. Therefore, waitlists could potentially incentivize students to show why they are suitable for a place at that school, which also leads to the next proposed problem: academic underperformance. When discussing whether a college or university education should be free, it is important to note that this does not guarantee that students who enroll in these courses will thrive, but rather it gives them the chance to prove their abilities that they may not have the chance to prove otherwise. Guidelines should be put in place for free courses; for example, it should be given to students who are willing to work for it and who could meet certain GPA or class requirements. Thus, not all students would be eligible for free tuition...