Since the start of high school, the idea of being able to pay for college has terrified me, stressing me out as I try to run the numbers. Many deal with this worry every day, while others come from more privileged backgrounds, causing an easier gateway to a higher education.
Rising college tuition causes less people to attend college, continuing a “rich get richer” cycle. The people who can afford to go to college can then get better jobs, making them more money, while the people who can’t afford college don’t receive a higher education, giving them worse paying jobs, resulting in the continuation of the pattern. According to think education, 50% of college students drop out of public universities, because they can’t afford to pay the full tuition.
Therefore, the government should make state schools free, and in eliminating the cost they would be preventing the ongoing accumulation of student college debt. Because of the price, many students have to narrow their education choice down to the cheaper option, limiting opportunities of the lower economic bracket. Making state schools free would increase the opportunities of minority groups, and give students more choices when choosing their education paths.
The pathway to college is filled with piling expenses from AP testing in high school, to application costs, to the actual cost of tuition. These prices end up causing many to not even attempt going to college.