Free College Is An Overwhelming Issue Affecting Our...

Free College† is an overwhelming issue affecting our overall economy in today’s time. But how does this affect me today as a high school senior? With college costing a fortune these days at an average of $9,139 for tuition, not including room and board, this puts a dilemma on the average American family making $55,000 per year. How is it feasible for a family to spend 2/5 of its income on the education of their child while still trying to afford their bills? It’s not. While many answer with student loans, this isn’t always an effective method. The average student owes $30,000 when they graduate from a 4-year public university. As soon as a student graduates they are placed into a financial burden, with a very small job market available to†¦show more content†¦Today, total tuition to attend public universities adds up to 70 billion dollars per year. Under the College for All Act, the federal government would cover 67% of this cost, while the states would be responsible for the remaining 33% of the cost according to Sanders plan. Will our taxes go up? No. This plan is achieved by implementing a Robin Hood Tax on Wall Street within hedge funds and investment houses, 0.5% tax on stock trades, 0.1% tax on bonds, and a 0.005% fee on derivatives (Sanders). This plan will have a mere noticeable difference to your average middle class American, including me. A plan that sounds so good in theory is bound to have opposition. Kevin James, in a USA News article, strongly disagrees with Senator Sander’s idea of making college a federally covered expenditure. James argues that states spending $70 billion per year is double of what the government spends on Pell Grants, counter acting â€Å"saving† money. He reveals that a large portion of these funds would be providing families who can afford college with a free education. James divulges that college does not offer students an effective form of education to assure success in th e workforce. He mentioned a poll that was taken of college graduates where only 13% of college graduates felt they were prepared for success in the workforce. James believes that free college would limit the choice students have for college, as private