Free college tuition is a hot topic lately and rightfully so. New York recently made tuition free for middle-class families. Students in New York have a choice to attend for a two or four year period.
There are requirements such as students having to take a minimum amount of credits a semester, a minimum GPA, etc. These requirements are reasonable, but the requirement for graduation is the most unreasonable. Post-graduation, students are required to remain in the state for the period of time they spent in college. The reasoning behind this requirement is logical because they want their graduates to invest their education back into the state.
What if there aren’t any jobs for newly educated graduates? Sorry, but they’re still required to stay in state or else pay back all of the tuitions that were spent on their education.
The idea of free tuition is becoming more popular among states. Oregon has made community college free for recent high school graduates, and Rhode Island is also exploring the idea of free community college.
Tennessee also has a free tuition program that helps cover remaining costs after the Pell Grant and other federal student aid kicks in. Tennessee recognized that more of their citizens needed to further their education, which is why this plan was created. It’s a good program because it saves the state money since it works in conjunction with federal student aid.
Something we have to understand is that a college degree is the new high school diploma – it’s almost necessary for someone to have. It’s a shame for someone to not pursue a higher education because they don’t have the financial means. More states should get on board with this recent trend because we can’t hope to create jobs without educated citizens.
Education is becoming a must when it comes to economic prosperity. States must invest in their citizens to reap the benefits. Seems like a fair trade – give the gift of education to help provide more opportunities for your citizens while receiving the benefits of economic success.
Hopefully, more states will follow in this trend.
