College is expensive and many students struggle with debt. The United States of America has a student debt total of $1.41 trillion (“A Look at the Shocking...”). That is extremely high, considering U.S. credit card debt is $620 billion less than student loan debt (“A Look at the Shocking...”). Although the government already provided $125.7 billion in 2016 for financial aid, students still struggle to pay for college (Federal Student Aid…). In order to help these individuals receive a college education, all community college tuition should be free, tuition at all 4-year schools should be based on family income, and state funding should be increased by raising taxes to fund colleges to allow free or reduced tuition.
All states should have free community college. Public investment in college education will keep quality of education high and affordable (Mitchell 3). Communities will benefit if more people have degrees and an educated workforce will boost the economy (Mitchell 22). Free community college will allow people to gain a degree and go further in their careers. The first place to offer free community college is The City of San Francisco, California (CCSF). California will give CCSF 5.4 million each year, for free tuition and extra help to low income families (“Mayor Lee and Supervisor …show more content…
These schools include UNC, Davidson, and Appalachian State (“No Loans for low Income Students…”). The no loan policy has been around for almost two decades, Princeton was the first school to eliminate loans for low income families. Since then, enrollment of low income students has doubled from 1999 to 2006 (“No Loans for low Income Students…”). Allowing students who come from low income families the opportunity to attend an excellent school and have the opportunity for free college, if they are accepted, benefits both the university and the