I've always loved school. Since I was young, I loved learning new things and being able to go to class, be with friends, and learn from teachers. College was always in the picture, a place I had always imagined going. I knew that tuition would be expensive, but I thought that financial aid and great grades/test scores would eliminate the burden. Though John Carroll is a wonderful university that is willing to help their students as much as possible, it is close to impossible to graduate without debt. I, like many other college students today, am self-funding my education and can relate to the stress and sleepless nights that come from realizing that you are accumulating, and will eventually graduate with, thousands and thousands of dollars worth of debt. That being said, talk about free college is exciting. After all, why should I be so highly punished for wanting to better myself and educate myself? In a world where it seems that every economic pitfall will eventually hurt millennials the most, why should we also be hurt by the price of college?

As Bernie Sanders kept making this promise that seemed so great and surreal, and as I saw most people my age strongly advocating for him (mostly due to this policy), I wanted more than anything to support this. I wanted to believe that this could be a reality, but, as the old saying goes, "nothing in life is free".

My main issue with the proposition of free tuition is that no one is addressing the real problem. Instead of addressing the issue of why tuition prices have skyrocketed, "free tuition" ignores finding a solution. It favors throwing money at an issue that is bound to increase if we don't get to the root of the problem. Some people blame an increase in enrollment. Others say that public funding is to blame. No one is sure why tuition is at an all time high, but I would like to hear different reasons and different solutions in order to lower and level out these unfathomable tuition prices.

Another issue I have with free tuition is a concern many others share: tax payers will have to absorb the costs. Yes, you might be able to go through college without paying for tuition, but once you get out, the heighten taxes will be just as bad as the tuition. This also circulates back to my previous argument--if we aren't addressing the problem of prices continuously rising, then the taxes needed to cover the costs will increase as well.

A lot of people, when debating this issue, often talk about "fairness". It isn't fair that we work so hard studying, taking standardized tests, and graduating high school, just to be faced with the seemingly insurmountable obstacle of paying for college tuition. Having gone to a fairly rigorous high school, I can relate to this argument, and I understand the frustration behind it. As far as "fairness" goes, think about all those students who decide to start working a trade after high school. Those who chose not to attend a college or university. Is it fair for them to be footed the bill through taxes? They are struggling just like the rest of us.

College has always been considered "higher education", and something that must be earned. Only those who are serious about getting a degree would attend due to the financial risk involved. If tuition were free, getting an education from such a place would not reflect as much dedication to one's education as it does now. Employers might not be as impressed with a bachelor's degree as they currently are.

When discussing free tuition, as much as I would like to support it, the reality of it isn't as spectacular as many would like to believe. I would much rather see politicians and the people of our communities focused on solving the issue of why tuition so high.

Here are a few interesting websites that discuss free tuition:

https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/matt-bruen...

http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/th...

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/opinion/sunday/t...