education should be free for everyone argumentative essay pdf

• Essay Samples
• College Essay
• Writing Tools
• Writing guide

Creative samples from the experts

↑ Return to Essay Samples

Argumentative Essay: Free Education

The USA doesn’t have free education for students, at least at the higher levels. Much has been made about increasing levels of debt. Some people have even called for the introduction of free education. This would be a major mistake. It would decrease personal freedoms for much of the general population, reduce quality, and send the wrong message to students. This essay will explain why.

Firstly, someone has to pay for education. It’s physically impossible to deliver quality education while charging students nothing. Someone has to pay for it. If it isn’t students taking care of their responsibilities, it’s taxpayers who already pay for the substantial grants and scholarships awarded to students every year. It’s wrong to place this burden on the general population for a decision entirely resting on the individual’s shoulders.

Making education free would mean the money has to be found from elsewhere. The only options available to the government would be to raise taxes or cut services elsewhere. It’s no fairer to cut other vital services than it is to make students pay for education. It doesn’t solve the problem, it only shifts the problem onto another part of the population.

Increasing taxes to pay for education reduces personal freedoms. Economic freedom directly correlates with personal freedoms. By cutting disposable income through the raising of taxes, it reduces the options available for families across the country. Arguably, it’s selfish to do this because a minority group decides to go into higher education.

Some would argue making education free would open up colleges and universities to a greater number of students. This isn’t the case. Although education isn’t free now, this in no way means people are prohibited from entering higher education. Grants awarding achievement already exist for the best students. Furthermore, the vast majority of students can already receive student loans to pay for tuition and maintenance. There are no barriers to students entering higher education even without a free tuition system.

With the current student loan system, lenders are far more forgiving and the repayments are much lower than a conventional loan. The system already allows students to climb up the career ladder before they start to pay back significant amounts.

Cutting fees would also make it more difficult to continue to improve the standard of education within schools and colleges. If these institutions can’t make a profit from charging their students, they can only make enough to cover their maintenance costs. They can’t invest in themselves and boost standards. This would only lead to the continuing decline of American higher education facilities and make the country less attractive for international students.

Overall, it’s important to make students understand they have responsibilities and the onus rests on them to take care of these responsibilities. It’s wrong to place the burdens of others onto the general population. Cutting fees would bring benefits to students who don’t have to pay for their own education, but it would only lead to the general decline of the facilities they study at.

Follow Us on Social Media

Get more free essays

Send via email

Most useful resources for students:.

• Free Essays Download
• Writing Tools List
• Proofreading Services
• Universities Rating

Contributors Bio

Find more useful services for students

Free plagiarism check, professional editing, online tutoring, free grammar check.

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Student Loans
• Paying for College

Should College Be Free? The Pros and Cons

Types of Publicly Funded College Tuition Programs

Pros: why college should be free, cons: why college should not be free, what the free college debate means for students, how to cut your college costs now, frequently asked questions (faqs).

damircudic / Getty Images

Americans have been debating the wisdom of free college for decades, and more than 30 states now offer some type of free college program. But it wasn't until 2021 that a nationwide free college program came close to becoming reality, re-energizing a longstanding debate over whether or not free college is a good idea. 

And despite a setback for the free-college advocates, the idea is still in play. The Biden administration's free community college proposal was scrapped from the American Families Plan . But close observers say that similar proposals promoting free community college have drawn solid bipartisan support in the past. "Community colleges are one of the relatively few areas where there's support from both Republicans and Democrats," said Tulane economics professor Douglas N. Harris, who has previously consulted with the Biden administration on free college, in an interview with The Balance. 

To get a sense of the various arguments for and against free college, as well as the potential impacts on U.S. students and taxpayers, The Balance combed through studies investigating the design and implementation of publicly funded free tuition programs and spoke with several higher education policy experts. Here's what we learned about the current debate over free college in the U.S.—and more about how you can cut your college costs or even get free tuition through existing programs.

Key Takeaways

• Research shows free tuition programs encourage more students to attend college and increase graduation rates, which creates a better-educated workforce and higher-earning consumers who can help boost the economy. 
• Some programs are criticized for not paying students’ non-tuition expenses, not benefiting students who need assistance most, or steering students toward community college instead of four-year programs.  
• If you want to find out about free programs in your area, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education has a searchable database. You’ll find the link further down in this article. 

Before diving into the weeds of the free college debate, it's important to note that not all free college programs are alike. Most publicly funded tuition assistance programs are restricted to the first two years of study, typically at community colleges. Free college programs also vary widely in the ways they’re designed, funded, and structured:

• Last-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs cover any remaining tuition after a student has used up other financial aid , such as Pell Grants. Most state-run free college programs fall into this category. However, these programs don’t typically help with room and board or other expenses.
• First-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs pay for students' tuition upfront, although they’re much rarer than last-dollar programs. Any remaining financial aid that a student receives can then be applied to other expenses, such as books and fees. The California College Promise Grant is a first-dollar program because it waives enrollment fees for eligible students.
• Debt-free programs : These programs pay for all of a student's college expenses , including room and board, guaranteeing that they can graduate debt-free. But they’re also much less common, likely due to their expense.  

Proponents often argue that publicly funded college tuition programs eventually pay for themselves, in part by giving students the tools they need to find better jobs and earn higher incomes than they would with a high school education. The anticipated economic impact, they suggest, should help ease concerns about the costs of public financing education. Here’s a closer look at the arguments for free college programs.

A More Educated Workforce Benefits the Economy

Morley Winograd, President of the Campaign for Free College Tuition, points to the economic and tax benefits that result from the higher wages of college grads. "For government, it means more revenue," said Winograd in an interview with The Balance—the more a person earns, the more they will likely pay in taxes . In addition, "the country's economy gets better because the more skilled the workforce this country has, the better [it’s] able to compete globally." Similarly, local economies benefit from a more highly educated, better-paid workforce because higher earners have more to spend. "That's how the economy grows," Winograd explained, “by increasing disposable income."

According to Harris, the return on a government’s investment in free college can be substantial. "The additional finding of our analysis was that these things seem to consistently pass a cost-benefit analysis," he said. "The benefits seem to be at least double the cost in the long run when we look at the increased college attainment and the earnings that go along with that, relative to the cost and the additional funding and resources that go into them." 

Free College Programs Encourage More Students to Attend

Convincing students from underprivileged backgrounds to take a chance on college can be a challenge, particularly when students are worried about overextending themselves financially. But free college programs tend to have more success in persuading students to consider going, said Winograd, in part because they address students' fears that they can't afford higher education . "People who wouldn't otherwise think that they could go to college, or who think the reason they can't is [that] it's too expensive, [will] stop, pay attention, listen, decide it's an opportunity they want to take advantage of, and enroll," he said.

According to Harris, students also appear to like the certainty and simplicity of the free college message. "They didn't want to have to worry that next year they were not going to have enough money to pay their tuition bill," he said. "They don't know what their finances are going to look like a few months down the road, let alone next year, and it takes a while to get a degree. So that matters." 

Free college programs can also help send "a clear and tangible message" to students and their families that a college education is attainable for them, said Michelle Dimino, an Education Director with Third Way. This kind of messaging is especially important to first-generation and low-income students, she said. 

Free College Increases Graduation Rates and Financial Security

Free tuition programs appear to improve students’ chances of completing college. For example, Harris noted that his research found a meaningful link between free college tuition and higher graduation rates. "What we found is that it did increase college graduation at the two-year college level, so more students graduated than otherwise would have." 

Free college tuition programs also give people a better shot at living a richer, more comfortable life, say advocates. "It's almost an economic necessity to have some college education," noted Winograd. Similar to the way a high school diploma was viewed as crucial in the 20th century, employees are now learning that they need at least two years of college to compete in a global, information-driven economy. "Free community college is a way of making that happen quickly, effectively, and essentially," he explained. 

Free community college isn’t a universally popular idea. While many critics point to the potential costs of funding such programs, others identify issues with the effectiveness and fairness of current attempts to cover students’ college tuition. Here’s a closer look at the concerns about free college programs.

It Would Be Too Expensive

The idea of free community college has come under particular fire from critics who worry about the cost of social spending. Since community colleges aren't nearly as expensive as four-year colleges—often costing thousands of dollars a year—critics argue that individuals can often cover their costs using other forms of financial aid . But, they point out, community college costs would quickly add up when paid for in bulk through a free college program: Biden’s proposed free college plan would have cost $49.6 billion in its first year, according to an analysis from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Some opponents argue that the funds could be put to better use in other ways, particularly by helping students complete their degrees.

Free College Isn't Really Free

One of the most consistent concerns that people have voiced about free college programs is that they don’t go far enough. Even if a program offers free tuition, students will need to find a way to pay for other college-related expenses , such as books, room and board, transportation, high-speed internet, and, potentially, child care. "Messaging is such a key part of this," said Dimino. Students "may apply or enroll in college, understanding it's going to be free, but then face other unexpected charges along the way." 

It's important for policymakers to consider these factors when designing future free college programs. Otherwise, Dimino and other observers fear that students could potentially wind up worse off if they enroll and invest in attending college and then are forced to drop out due to financial pressures. 

Free College Programs Don’t Help the Students Who Need Them Most

Critics point out that many free college programs are limited by a variety of quirks and restrictions, which can unintentionally shut out deserving students or reward wealthier ones. Most state-funded free college programs are last-dollar programs, which don’t kick in until students have applied financial aid to their tuition. That means these programs offer less support to low-income students who qualify for need-based aid—and more support for higher-income students who don’t.

Community College May Not Be the Best Path for All Students

Some critics also worry that all students will be encouraged to attend community college when some would have been better off at a four-year institution. Four-year colleges tend to have more resources than community colleges and can therefore offer more support to high-need students. 

In addition, some research has shown that students at community colleges are less likely to be academically successful than students at four-year colleges, said Dimino. "Statistically, the data show that there are poorer outcomes for students at community colleges […] such as lower graduation rates and sometimes low transfer rates from two- to four-year schools." 

With Congress focused on other priorities, a nationwide free college program is unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, some states and municipalities offer free tuition programs, so students may be able to access some form of free college, depending on where they live. A good resource is the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education’s searchable database of Promise Programs , which lists more than 100 free community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

In the meantime, school leaders and policymakers may shift their focus to other access and equity interventions for low-income students. For example, higher education experts Eileen Strempel and Stephen Handel published a book in 2021 titled "Beyond Free College: Making Higher Education Work for 21st Century Students." The book argues that policymakers should focus more strongly on college completion, not just college access. "There hasn't been enough laser-focus on how we actually get people to complete their degrees," noted Strempel in an interview with The Balance. 

Rather than just improving access for low-income college students, Strempel and Handel argue that decision-makers should instead look more closely at the social and economic issues that affect students , such as food and housing insecurity, child care, transportation, and personal technology. For example, "If you don't have a computer, you don't have access to your education anymore," said Strempel. "It's like today's pencil."

Saving money on college costs can be challenging, but you can take steps to reduce your cost of living. For example, if you're interested in a college but haven't yet enrolled, pay close attention to where it's located and how much residents typically pay for major expenses, such as housing, utilities, and food. If the college is located in a high-cost area, it could be tough to justify the living expenses you'll incur. Similarly, if you plan to commute, take the time to check gas or public transportation prices and calculate how much you'll likely have to spend per month to go to and from campus several times a week. 

Now that more colleges offer classes online, it may also be worth looking at lower-cost programs in areas that are farther from where you live, particularly if they allow you to graduate without setting foot on campus. Also, check out state and federal financial aid programs that can help you slim down your expenses, or, in some cases, pay for them completely. Finally, look into need-based and merit-based grants and scholarships that can help you cover even more of your expenses. Also, consider applying to no-loan colleges , which promise to help students graduate without going into debt.

Should community college be free?

It’s a big question with varying viewpoints. Supporters of free community college cite the economic contributions of a more educated workforce and the individual benefit of financial security, while critics caution against the potential expense and the inefficiency of last-dollar free college programs. 

What states offer free college?

More than 30 states offer some type of tuition-free college program, including Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington State. The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education lists over 100 last-dollar community college programs and 16 first-dollar community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

Is there a free college?

There is no such thing as a truly free college education. But some colleges offer free tuition programs for students, and more than 30 states offer some type of tuition-free college program. In addition, students may also want to check out employer-based programs. A number of big employers now offer to pay for their employees' college tuition . Finally, some students may qualify for enough financial aid or scholarships to cover most of their college costs.

Scholarships360. " Which States Offer Tuition-Free Community College? "

The White House. “ Build Back Better Framework ,” see “Bringing Down Costs, Reducing Inflationary Pressures, and Strengthening the Middle Class.”

The White House. “ Fact Sheet: How the Build Back Better Plan Will Create a Better Future for Young Americans ,” see “Education and Workforce Opportunities.”

Coast Community College District. “ California College Promise Grant .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Biden’s Free College Plan Would Pay for Itself Within 10 Years.”

Third Way. “ Why Free College Could Increase Inequality .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Free-College Programs Have Different Effects on Race and Class Equity.”

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. “ College Promise Programs: A Comprehensive Catalog of College Promise Programs in the United States .”

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Should Higher Education Be Free?

• Vijay Govindarajan
• Jatin Desai

Disruptive new models offer an alternative to expensive tuition.

In the United States, our higher education system is broken. Since 1980, we’ve seen a 400% increase in the cost of higher education, after adjustment for inflation — a higher cost escalation than any other industry, even health care. We have recently passed the trillion dollar mark in student loan debt in the United States.

• Vijay Govindarajan is the Coxe Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, a Dartmouth-wide chair and the highest distinction awarded to Dartmouth faculty, a Faculty Partner in the Silicon Valley incubator Mach49 , and a Senior Advisor at the strategy consulting firm Acropolis Advisors . He is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. His latest book is   Fusion Strategy: How Real-Time Data and AI Will Power the Industrial Future .   His Harvard Business Review articles “ Engineering Reverse Innovations ” and “ Stop the Innovation Wars ” won McKinsey Awards for best article published in HBR. His HBR articles “ How GE Is Disrupting Itself ” and “ The CEO’s Role in Business Model Reinvention ” are HBR all-time top-50 bestsellers. Follow him on   LinkedIn . vgovindarajan
• JD Jatin Desai is co-founder and chief executive officer of The Desai Group and the author of  Innovation Engine: Driving Execution for Breakthrough Results .

Partner Center

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Education Should be Free Essay | Essay on Education Should be Free for Students and Children

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay on Education Should be Free:  Education can be an effective weapon for the people, but nowadays, it is mostly governed by corruption. To improve the development of a country, all the citizens of that country should be educated. Still, in many circumstances, they are not able to achieve it due to financial differences.

If education is made free, then the country will start developing the country, which will lead the country in the right direction. Education should be accessible to everyone because an educated citizen acts as a more productive citizen. Nearly every country in the developed world provides free primary and secondary education to its citizens.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Long and Short Essays on Education Should be Free for Students and Kids in English

We provide the students with essay samples on an extended essay of 500 words and a short essay of 150 words on this topic.

Long Essay on Education Should be Free 500 Words in English

Long Essay on Education Should be Free is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Education becomes crucial for anyone to survive their academic, social, and political career. Education worldwide requires a lot of money, but it should not be monopolized so that the entire globe can move at the same pace, solving problems like world poverty or world starvation. Otherwise, the world’s future will inevitably go nowhere, unable to make its talent any harder. At least, with more knowledge, you stand a chance against the crowd and easily face significant obstacles in the world today.

In today’s society, education plays an even more critical role in developing our world. Nowadays, students pay money to study and learn to be part of the Institute. Unfortunately, not every student can do so, for most of them do not have strong financial support to both enter the schools they want and continue their future studies. When it comes to education, learning should be free from all charges for everyone.

First, free education encourages students to do better. When a student is relieved from the education charges, he thoroughly appreciates that he no longer has to think about it again. Therefore, he, too, tries to study better as a way of appreciating this opportunity. Second, students are not the only ones who develop here, even society too. By offering students the opportunity to continue their studies, society will gain a reliable, productive workforce to improve results. Generally, statistics show that the countries that support their students’ education are the most advanced ones in innovation and creativity.

Sometimes free education may lead to having the opposite results on students. With everything being easy, students would not find it difficult to give up their schools and studies because they didn’t earn it in the first place. Students usually value the worth of things based on their difficulty, and offering them this chance will only cause them to waste it. Free education can degrade the quality of teaching too. Most schools today tend to rely on students’ fees to improve the school’s facilities and material. However, without that, schools will not be able to move forward and stop progressing since it will only depend on the money it receives from the government.

In conclusion, education should stay equally available to everyone, regardless of their income. This is fair, but this will also make sure that countries can prosper and develop into future evolution with a well-educated workforce.

Read More: Education Should Be Free Essay

Short Essay on Education Should be Free 150 Words in English

Short Essay on Education Should be Free is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

A child should get an education to increase the fundamental knowledge that develops their social awareness, better decision-making skills, and increased work competency, thus making oneself a better citizen. Today, most of the jobs around the globe require candidates who are well-qualified in education.

Every society in the world has citizens of different economic sectors. Those from low economic backgrounds may not be able to support education for their children, so they send them for labour to support their lives. Today, governments worldwide have accepted that child labour is wrong, and it is the right of every child to get educated. To solve these issues, the government should deliberately offer free education to children, thus supporting children belonging to low-income families and preventing child labour.

10 Lines on Education Should be Free in English

• Guaranteed Education: Free education is crucial because it guarantees an equal education level for every student in the country. This means that every student will have an equal opportunity to reach an equal level of education.
• Safe Life: Education is a crucial key to live a safe life. For example, when a student is educated compared to a non-educated student, it is easier to succeed in the future.
• Better outlook on life: Education gives the students the ability to think positively and have a more positive attitude towards life and goals. Free education guarantees that the outlook of life for most of the students will be the same.
• Increased employment: Free education means that most students will have access to education and increase their employment opportunities.
• Creates equality: Free education means that any student from where they come will be able to use the same quality of education as every other student. It plays a vital role in building equality among the students in the school.
• Promotes fairness: Free education plays a vital role in promoting fairness in schools and societies. This is because all children are guaranteed access to the same quality of education.
• Density in the classroom: Free education somehow promotes an increased number of learners in the classroom. This is because students do not have to worry about their next school or tuition fees. Instead, they will stay more focused on their education.
• Student-loan loans: Students do not have to worry about their college fees by getting student loans in university to facilitate their education altogether. This ensures that students remain in a debt-free situation.
• Open Access to College: Free education plays a vital role as it opens access to a college education. All children will be guaranteed a degree of education until they go for higher studies.
• Students can pursue their interests: Free education allows the student with flexibility in their choices in pursuing their desired career.

FAQ’s on Education Should be Free Essay

Question 1. Why should education be free for all?

Answer: Free education guarantees that the overview of the life of all children will be the same. Candidates will experience increased employment: Free education means that most students will have access to education and increase their chances of getting employment.

Question 2. Why is education so important?

Answer: Education helps people become better citizens, get a better-paid job, and shows the difference between good and evil. Education also shows us the importance of hard work and, at the same time, helps us grow and develop internally as well as socially. Thus, we can create a better society to live in by understanding and respecting laws and regulations.

• Picture Dictionary
• English Speech
• English Slogans
• English Letter Writing
• English Essay Writing
• English Textbook Answers
• Types of Certificates
• ICSE Solutions
• Selina ICSE Solutions
• ML Aggarwal Solutions
• HSSLive Plus One
• HSSLive Plus Two
• Kerala SSLC
• Distance Education

Is free college a good idea? Increasingly, evidence says yes

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, douglas n. harris douglas n. harris nonresident senior fellow - governance studies , brown center on education policy , professor and chair, department of economics - tulane university.

May 10, 2021

• 10 min read

In just a few short years, the idea of free college has moved from a radical idea to mainstream Democratic thinking. President Biden made free college one of his core campaign planks , and one that the first lady has been promoting for years. In his recent address to Congress, the president also signaled that he is ready for legislative action on a scaled-back version of the idea as part of his American Families Plan .

Two weeks ago, the nonprofit College Promise (CP)—led by Martha Kanter, who served as President Obama’s undersecretary for education—also released a proposal that will influence the free college debate. (Full disclosure: I previously advised the Biden campaign and presently advise CP, but have received no compensation for these efforts.)

In today’s polarized environment, the free college idea stands out for its bipartisan support. A majority of self-identified Republicans has supported the notion of free college in some polls. In fact, one of the first such statewide programs was put in place by Bill Haslam, the former Republican governor of Tennessee. While this could go the way of Obamacare, which faced strong GOP congressional opposition despite the law’s origins with Republican Mitt Romney, free college seems different. Biden’s latest plan only applies to community colleges, which focus on career and vocational education of the sort Republicans support, as opposed to universities, which many Republicans view as hostile battlegrounds in a culture war.

But I am less interested in the politics than the evidence of effectiveness. I have studied college access for many years and run two randomized control trials of financial aid , which produced some of the first causal evidence on free college in Milwaukee. Two years ago, Brookings released the first installment of the Milwaukee work, which I carried out with a team of researchers. Since then, we have collected more data and learned more about how students responded over time. Below, I summarize our just-released study (co-authored with Jonathan Mills), compare our results to other financial aid programs, and then discuss implications for the Biden and CP proposals. Consequently, I conclude that the evidence increasingly favors free college and “open access aid” more generally.

What Did We Learn in Milwaukee?

I developed The Degree Project (TDP) in 2009 as a demonstration program in partnership between the nonprofit Ascendium (then known as the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). TDP offered all first-time 9 th graders in half of MPS high schools $12,000 for college as “last-dollar” aid. Students could use the funds for college if they graduated from high school on time with a GPA of 2.5 and a class attendance rate of 90%. Also, as is the norm with free college programs, students had to fill out the FAFSA and have at least one dollar of unmet need. The aid could be used to attend any of the 66 public, in-state, two- or four-year colleges in Wisconsin. Ascendium provided up to $31 million to fund the grant and, as the main program administrator, sent regular letters to remind students about the program and its requirements. The organization also worked with school counselors to support students becoming eligible for the funds and preparing for college.

TDP was announced to students in the fall of 2011. Using anonymized data, we then tracked students’ high school, college, and life outcomes for eight years, and we recently received data extending through when students were roughly 22 years old. As a rare randomized trial, we could estimate the effects by comparing the control and treatment group outcomes. Here is what we found:

• For students who met the performance requirements, the program increased graduation from two-year colleges by 3 percentage points . This might seem small, but the denominator here is comprised of low-income 9 th graders. Half of the control group did not even graduate from high school, let alone college. The effect amounts to a 25% increase in two-year degrees.
• The framing and design of the program as free two-year college changed student decisions in ways consistent with what free college advocates suggest. The $12,000 maximum award amount was selected because it was sufficient to cover tuition and fees for a two-year college degree. The fact that TDP made two-year college free, but only reduced the cost of four-year college, was clearly communicated to students. This appears to explain one of our main results: Student enrollments shifted from four-year to two-year colleges. This is noteworthy given that students could use the funds at either two- or four-year colleges. In fact, students likely would have been able to use more of the $12,000 if they had shifted to four-year colleges. The only plausible reason for shifting to two-year colleges is that they were really attracted to the idea of free college.
• The “early commitment” nature of the program had some modest positive effects on some high school outcomes . Students learned about TDP in their 9 th grade year, giving them time to change their high school behaviors and college plans. Although it did not improve high school academic achievement, we find that TDP increased college expectations and the steps students took to prepare for college. TDP recipients also reported working harder because of the program (even though this did not show up in the academic measures). This highlights the fact that free college might also help address not only college-going rates, but the long-term stagnancy in high school outcomes.
• The merit requirements undermined the program’s effectiveness . Though the 2.5 GPA and 90% attendance and other requirements were arguably modest, only 21% of eligible students ended up meeting them. So, they ended up excluding many students. We also tested the two main ways that the merit requirements could have been helpful: (a) merit requirements might provide incentives for students to work hard during high school and better prepare for college, and (b) merit requirements might target aid to students who respond to it most. We find no evidence of either benefit. While students did work harder (see point [3] above), this appears to be due to other elements of the program, not the merit requirements.

Overall, these results suggest that aid is most effective when it is “open access”—that is, aid with early commitment and free college framing, but no merit requirements.

What about the evidence beyond Milwaukee?

Our study also reviews other research on financial aid, including federal aid, state merit aid programs, and the newer “promise scholarship” programs that mimic free college. Our study is not alone in finding that financial aid improves student outcomes. In fact, the vast majority of the most rigorous studies find positive effects on college attendance and college graduation. Given the strong average benefits of college, we can expect follow-up studies to show effects on employment earnings, voting, and other outcomes.

What about the costs? Open access aid is more expensive to be sure. More students receive aid and the aid levels per students are larger than traditional financial aid. Is it worth it? Our analysis suggests it is. We carried out new cost-benefit analyses of multiple programs, including TDP, but also other actively studied programs in: Kalamazoo, Michigan; Knox County, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and one statewide program in Nebraska. We also used estimates of the average effects of aid taken from prior literature reviews. All of these programs pass a cost-benefit test. That is, the effects on college outcomes, and the effects of college outcomes on future earnings, is much larger than the cost to the government and society as a whole. Moreover, it appears that benefits-per-dollar-of-cost are at least as high with open access aid as with more restricted programs. This means that open access aid provides greater total benefits to the community as a whole.

Back to the Free College Proposals

What do these results mean for President Biden’s and CP’s proposals? The table below provides a side-by-side comparison. The main difference is the level of detail. This reflects that the CP plan was designed to align with, and flesh out, the Biden campaign proposal. Perhaps the only substantive difference is that the CP proposal (and the Milwaukee program) includes private colleges. The Biden campaign documents exclude private colleges, though the American Families Plan just says “free community college,” signaling alignment with the CP plan. Both proposals are clearly in the category of open access aid.

There are numerous similarities between these provisions and the Milwaukee program that my team and I studied. All three programs make two-year college free (or nearly so) for all students without income requirements and through early commitment of aid. All three require the FAFSA and high school graduation. Importantly, unlike both the Biden and CP proposals, the Milwaukee program had merit requirements, which undermined its success. This is partly why our evidence is so relevant to the current debate.

Some might wonder why the president has scaled back the proposal to just free community college. This reflects that the idea of free college—even the “scaled back” version—is such a marked departure from past policy, especially at the federal level. Free community college alone would still be arguably the largest shift in federal higher education policy in the past half-century.

Caveats and Concluding Thoughts

We cannot make policy from evidence alone, but it can and should play a key role. Sometimes, policy ideas have such limited evidence of effectiveness that it is difficult to make any plausible case for a large-scale, national program. In other cases, there is enough promise for pilot studies and competitive grants to establish efficacy. With free college, we seem to be well beyond that point. In addition to decades of results on general financial aid programs, we have a growing number of studies on state and local programs that all show positive evidence—the “laboratory of democracy” at work. The idea of a large, federal free-college program therefore has more and more credibility.

A decade ago, it was not at all obvious that this is what the evidence would show. There was really no evidence on free college programs when we started this project back in 2009. Also, there were good reasons to expect that such a large increase in aid would suffer from “diminishing returns”—the idea that the next dollar is less effective than the previous one. This could have made free college more costly than the benefits could justify. Now, we know better.

I do still worry a bit about other factors and challenges. For example, the above analyses can only capture the immediate effects of financial aid, yet a federal free college program is such a marked departure in policy that it could alter political and market forces operating on higher education in unpredictable ways, perhaps even lowering college spending and quality. Also, if the proposal remains focused on community colleges, then this will shift students out of four-year colleges and into colleges that currently have very low completion rates. There are also other ways to increase college affordability and access that do not require free college (e.g., increased Pell Grants and income-based loan repayment), some of which target funds more narrowly to the most disadvantaged students. And there are many details to be worked out as the president’s allies in Congress try to generate sufficient support without (a) sacrificing core principles, or (b) creating new problems that can arise when grafting new federal programs on to widely varying state contexts.

Still, it is not often that an idea comes around that addresses a widely acknowledged problem and has both research support and a fair degree of bipartisan political support. The stars seem aligned to make some form of national free college a reality. The more evidence we see, the more that would seem to be a step forward.

Related Content

Douglas N. Harris, Raquel Farmer-Hinton, Debbie Kim, John B. Diamond, Tangela Blakely Reavis, Kelly Krupa Rifelj, Hilary Lustick, Bradley R. Carl

September 20, 2018

Louis Serino

October 2, 2018

Education Access & Equity Education Policy Higher Education

Governance Studies

Brown Center on Education Policy

Dr. Neil A. Lewis, Jr.

May 14, 2024

Katharine Meyer, Rachel M. Perera, Michael Hansen

April 9, 2024

Dominique J. Baker

Home — Essay Samples — Education — College Education — Should College Education Be Free: Persuasive Paper

Should College Education Be Free: Persuasive Paper

• Categories: College Education

About this sample

Words: 661 |

Published: Mar 6, 2024

Words: 661 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Introduction

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Verified writer

• Expert in: Education

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 681 words

3 pages / 1214 words

2 pages / 819 words

1 pages / 565 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on College Education

The Path to Self-Actualization Discuss how a college education is a journey toward self-actualization and personal growth. How does it empower individuals to shape their own destinies and realize their full [...]

'Elementary Skills Competition Promotes Trades in Durham Region.' Durham District School Board, 22 Mar. 2019, www.ddsb.ca/en/news/elementary-skills-competition-promotes-trades-in-durham-region.aspx.'Stigma.' Cambridge [...]

Higher education has become an essential part of society in the modern world. As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, the value of a college education has never been greater. While some may argue that college is not [...]

Annika Rodriguez was a renowned advocate for diversity and inclusion in higher education. Her personal statement has left a significant impact on the way educational institutions approach the issue of diversity. This essay aims [...]

As Matshona Dhliwayo once said, “Money doesn’t grow on trees, but grows on intelligent minds.” The idea of whether college should be free has been a controversial and widely debated topic. Imagine living in an old, [...]

In today's rapidly evolving world, the importance of a college education has never been more crucial. As technology advances and the job market becomes increasingly competitive, a college degree has become a necessity for [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

10 Short Argumentative Essay Examples + Downloadable PDF

Argumentative essays usually require that you make some points on a topic and then argue, giving reasons why people should agree with your points.

Fredrick Eghosa

Jul 20, 2024

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

What an argumentative essay is all about, how to structure an argumentative essay, 1. introduction, 2. body paragraph 1: the first main argument, 3. body paragraph 2: the second main argument, 4. body paragraph 3: the third main argument, 5. counterargument and rebuttal, 6. conclusion, types and examples of argument claims, 1. claim of fact, 2. claim of definition, 3. claim of value, 4. claim of cause and effect, claim of policy, argumentative essay writing tips, how to write an argumentative essay with cowriter, brainstorm topic ideas., get research assistance, creation of outline, improvement of thesis, generating your counterarguments, language improvement, download 10 free argumentative essay examples pdf.

• While it may interest you to choose a topic very personal to you, ensure that you choose one on which you have the capacity to write constructively.
• A good thesis for an argumentative essay alone should be able to provide supporting clues as to what to expect in your essay.
• Research and collect sufficient knowledge from credible sources that would help to support your argument.
• Citation is just one part of the argumentative essay that should not be forgotten.
• A good argumentative essay will organize your thoughts and points in a very simple, logical way.
• These claims are valid and have been proven not to be misleading.
• The claims are clearly stated so that the reader can understand the reasons.
• There is sufficient evidence to prove the claims.
• It attends to counterarguments holistically, without bias, but with respect for the opposition.
• A strong rebuttal shows that your point is stronger and should be agreed to.
• Begin your line with an attention-grabbing statement.
• Write a very short summary of your topic.
• Write your thesis statement, which gets you into the body of the essay itself.
• Define the specific topic sentence you want to discuss in body paragraph 1.
• Provide examples and evidence for the same topic.
• Explain and provide an analysis of the point you write about. This is because analysis helps make understanding the points easier.
• Transition with a strong transitive phrase that will carry the readers into the next topic sentence so they don't get lost or left behind.
• Define what specific topic sentence you are going to talk about in body paragraph 2.
• For the same topic, provide examples and evidence to back up your claims.
• Explain and give an analysis of the point you are writing on; this is because analysis helps make the understanding of the point easier.
• Cradle your next topic sentence in a strong transitive phrase so that your readers do not become lost or left behind.
• Begin with a topic sentence, as usual.
• Provide evidence and examples that prove the truth of your topic sentence.
• Elucidate with analysis so that the audience may understand and relate better to your points.
• Transition to the counterarguments.
• Present the standpoint that counters yours.
• Acknowledge the standpoint.
• Using enough evidence and analysis, argue the opposing claim.
• Restate your thesis.
• Summary of arguments made above in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3.
• End with a call to action. One that will raise arguments in your favor from the audience.
• Example : "Democratic policies caused the rise of terrorism."
• Example : "The use of artificial intelligence should be considered a form of life."
• Example : "Snowboarding is the greatest way to spend a vacation."
• Example: “A crude oil spill into a water body can cause many plants and animals in the water to die.”
• Example: "All professional athletes should be randomly drug-tested.”
• Sign up first.

• Submit your prompt and get a response.

• The first option is to prompt CoWriter with your written thesis and have it change the thesis for you.
• Another way to go about it is to provide it with your topic and ask for it to generate a thesis statement for your essay.

Join other 100,000+ writers now!

Ready to take the next big step for your writing?

AI Content Expert

Related posts

Jul 22, 2024

10 Best Hyperwrite Alternative

The best Hyperwrite alternatives include CoWriter, ChatGPT, Grammarly, Wordtune, Anyword, Writesonic, Rytr, Jasper, WordAI, and CopyAI.

Jul 21, 2024

10 proposal essay examples + downloadable PDF

This article will show you 10 proposal essay samples, and it will also teach you how to master this type of essay writing. If you are a student who wants to capitalize on your writing skills or a manager who is trying to write business proposals,

Jul 25, 2024

10 Leadership Essay Examples + PDF Downloadable

In this article, we will give you 10 leadership essay examples and the PDFs so that you can download them and use them to learn how to write a leadership essay in case you don't know how to do that.

How to Write a 100 Word Scholarship Essay

To write a 100 word scholarship essay, focus on a single, compelling point. Start with a strong hook, highlight a key personal achievement or experience, and explain how the scholarship will help you. Once you're done writing, edit for clarity and impact.

How To Write A Curatorial Statement With AI

To write a curatorial statement with AI, begin by conducting thorough research into the historical context of your exhibition and the backgrounds of the artworks, including their styles and mediums. Develop a clear and concise outline to structure your statement effectively. Write the content of your statement and edit it for clarity and correctness. Use CoWriter to streamline and enhance the entire writing and editing process.

Jun 28, 2024

How is a narrative essay organized?

A narrative essay tells a story chronologically, beginning with an introduction, moving into a body where events build to a climax, and finishing with a resolution or final reflection.

Jul 29, 2024

10 Scholarship Essay Examples + Downloadable PDF

In this article, we would therefore like to discuss 10 different scholarship essay examples and their PDF files that you can download to act as a reference while you go about writing your scholarship essay.