Free college for all?

[dogs4thewin]

Actually, I just looked it up. The GPA requirement was only for the first year. I never had a reason to think about it before since my motivation for keeping my GPA as high as possible is to make full use of this time and opportunity in earning my degree.

Which is what one's motivation should be, but that is not always the case. What I liked about college compared to high school and below.

 

[public hermit]

I don't know if "free college" is the answer, but we have to do something about the rampant ignorance we see on a daily basis.

I've been looking at the possibilities, because I would like to know what the tax burden would be. If it wasn't too substantial, I would be willing to pay extra so that people who wanted to go to college or a trade school could go. My sneaking suspicion is the tax burden would be exorbitant. Nonetheless, I think an (truly) educated populace is an advantage to all of us. I look back at who I was and how I thought prior to obtaining some higher education, and I am a better person for it. There's no doubt in my mind. Having said that, it would be really helpful if the academy wasn't so ideologically bound. But, that's another thread.

 

[Go Braves]

It will devalue and depreciates it, and everything else (including the curriculum) will fall with it. Well, that already is happening.

Also, who will pay for it?

I'm fixing to head off on an exchange at one of the best universities in the world for my field. The tuition isn't free for their citizens but it's a pocket change in comparison to the costs of the same degree in the US.

Our college tuition costs are among the highest in the world.

 

[blackribbon]

Collect taxes from people who either sacrificed to go to college or else couldn't afford to go to college to pay for other people to go to college for free....what could be wrong with this?

How about increase the difficulty of public K-12th grade...and make sure that the high school diploma has value and advanced levels of education? How about offering trade school programs in high school again and providing more people with real ways to make a living.

 

[Go Braves]

make no mistake. you're there only because certain people think they will get a return from your life one day. you're an investment and nothing more.

Which is precisely the mentality that the countries that provide tuition-free higher education to its citizens have.

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Which is precisely the mentality that the countries that provide tuition-free higher education to its citizens have.

you're comparing apples with oranges, buddy. that sort of system wouldn't work in a country like america.

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Collect taxes from people who either sacrificed to go to college or else couldn't afford to go to college to pay for other people to go to college for free....what could be wrong with this?

How about increase the difficulty of public K-12th grade...and make sure that the high school diploma has value and advanced levels of education? How about offering trade school programs in high school again and providing more people with real ways to make a living.

i agree. especially the last part. not everyone is called to go to university or college. it just makes for more educated heathen to a large extent.

 

[Go Braves]

you're comparing apples with oranges, buddy. that sort of system wouldn't work in a country like america.

Actually, no I am not, and yes, it could, "buddy." Lol.

 

[( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)]

Actually, no I am not, and yes, it could, "buddy." Lol.

ok. whenever you earn your high-powered degree in whatever field you're studying for, go to another country and practice your work. then after a few years come back and tell us how you've experienced things.

 

[blackribbon]

i agree. especially the last part. not everyone is called to go to university or college. it just makes for more educated heathen to a large extent.

I don't think that the level of education current college students get is actually a more educated group of people. I think a lot of "college" level classes are really what was taught in high school for previous generations.

 

[Go Braves]

ok. whenever you earn your high-powered degree in whatever field you're studying for, go to another country and practice your work. then after a few years come back and tell us how you've experienced things.

Which is exactly what many folks I've worked with, what many of my professors have already done. My post was based in part on their experiences. As degreed professionals they just don't have the amount of free time on their hands to post on a forum like this one, lol.

 

[blackribbon]

Which is exactly what many folks I've worked with, what many of my professors have already done. My post was based in part on their experiences. As degreed professionals they just don't have the amount of free time on their hands to post on a forum like this one, lol.

Why would a degreed professional have less free time to post on a forum? (I am a degreed professional.)

 

[Sketcher]

When you consider how it would be paid for, and how it would be rolled out (i.e. only certain programs at certain institutions would likely be eligible due to a claimed lack of available resources), it doesn't sound as good. With government money comes government requirements, and that's not a good fit for private institutions already. Private art schools for instance, tend to have the best art programs. Since they're already not taking government money to maintain a level of autonomy which seems to benefit their offered programs, I don't see how they would benefit from government funded "free college."

 

[timewerx]

Do you think this will help the United States or hurt it?

Look at other countries who are doing this like Iceland.

Is it hurting them? Is it awful to live in Iceland? Is it one of the worst countries in the world?

 

[blackribbon]

Look at other countries who are doing this like Iceland.

Is it hurting them? Is it awful to live in Iceland? Is it one of the worst countries in the world?

Honestly? Let's compare a country with a population around 300,000 and basically one culture to a country with around 330,000,000 people and every culture of the world...and then come up with a realistic comparison????

 

[timewerx]

Honestly? Let's compare a country with a population around 300,000 and basically one culture to a country with around 330,000,000 people and every culture of the world...and then come up with a realistic comparison????

There were studies made that lack or insufficient education (of the parents) is a strong factor leading to dysfunctional families and very high fertility rates in a bad way (that leads to overpopulation and again, a dysfunctional family).

Dysfunctional families produce dysfunctional children who in turn become parents later on.

This is problem that feeds itself and gets worse as we continue to do nothing about it.

There's a rather massive amount of money being wasted in the gross inefficiency of the military sector and healthcare. Probably more than enough money to give everyone in USA free education all the way to college.

 

[blackribbon]

There were studies made that lack or insufficient education (of the parents) is a strong factor leading to dysfunctional families and very high fertility rates in a bad way (that leads to overpopulation and again, a dysfunctional family).

Dysfunctional families produce dysfunctional children who in turn become parents later on.

This is problem that feeds itself and gets worse as we continue to do nothing about it.

There's a rather massive amount of money being wasted in the gross inefficiency of the military sector and healthcare. Probably more than enough money to give everyone in USA free education all the way to college.

There is more than enough dysfunction in educated families. And providing free college education won't solve that...especially in a society that doesn't take advantage of the free public education already offered. I find it scary that 4 year universities even offer remedial classes, now. Yes, remedial classes should exist for those who did chose not to take advantage of school when they were young, but that is what the community and junior colleges are for. As for paying for college, there are ways to do it...qualify for scholarships...go part-time...use the community college system for core classes....etc... But getting a bachelor degree in things pre-renaissance european art history or women's studies isn't likely to provide much of a life that you can't get with just a high school diploma except for a few who go on to get their doctorates.

I'd be more in favor of providing financial assistance for trade school over college.

 

[timewerx]

There is more than enough dysfunction in educated families. And providing free college education won't solve that...especially in a society that doesn't take advantage of the free public education already offered.

It took many decades of neglect and marginalization to ruin American society. The solution takes more than free college education and probably a very long time.

 

[blackribbon]

It took many decades of neglect and marginalization to ruin American society. The solution takes more than free college education and probably a very long time.

I agree that free college won't solve any of America's problems. I don't know that our society is "ruined" but it does have issues. And giving a better education starting in elementary school with an actual foundation in ethics would be a good start instead of just passing kids through because their feelings might be hurt if we demand they actually perform at grade level.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

i'd much rather there be focus on making trade schools more affordable and accessible.