Should College Be Free?

             

                                                                                      


                A common stressor of Americans is the cost of college, and there is a lot of contention around 

offering college for free. The right and left sides of politics are very divided on this issue, the left 

advocating for free college and the right being more than skeptical of the left’s advocacy. “Why Free 

College is Necessary” published fall 2015, and written by Tressie McMillian Cottom, a sociology 

professor at Virginia Commonwealth University argues for the existence of free college while “The 

Case Against Free College” published October 215, and written by Matt Bruenig, a law and policy 

analyst argues against it. Both sides have excellent ideas supporting their positions and are worth the 

consideration of those whom free college would affect. 

            “Why Free College is Necessary” by Tressie McMillian Cottom argues that college should be free from the perspective of equality. Tressie Cottom points out the reasons many are not attending college: cost of tuition, lack of access to higher K-12 education, and lack of social capital. Many people are excluded from college for more reasons than cost, lack of ability to perform on standardized tests, access to one-on-one admissions counseling, and distance from the college. Cottom believes that talking about education as a benefit to the public good is extremely difficult because democrats also use around class-based identities due to the language used. “Why College is Necessary” says that free college debate goes beyond the economic benefit for many; it is about the purpose of college in the first place.

            “Why Free College is necessary” was written as a persuasive article, intent on convincing those that the topic of free college is a well-overdue discussion and free college should be implemented. Tressie McMillian Cottom’s audience is college students and those who take her opposing view. Much like the opposing view, Cottom believes that this debate ultimately leads to the purpose of college in the first place. Many of the arguments in this article are anecdotal, quotes from President Obama and summarizations of current issues preventing people from entering or completing college. Using this kind of evidence makes her article more relatable to those who suffer from immense college debt. Near the beginning of the article, she uses statistical evidence when she names the type of population who h degrees and the differences between the ones who have and the ones who do not have degrees. Using this kind of evidence adds credibility that other kinds of evidence cannot provide, improving her argument. These types of arguments fit her audience well, drawing in people whose these issues impact.

            “The Case Against Free College” by Matt Bruenig offers an opposing argument to the solution of free college. Matt Bruenig uses statistical evidence when he points out the ages of students when they attended college, the wealth of their parents, and the college attendance rates of private versus private colleges. He argues that students in well-off backgrounds will enjoy well-off futures regardless of free college and free college would only increase in financial benefits for the wealthy. Matt believes that the financial burden of college would be carried by those who did not attend college; thus, undermining those who chose not to attend. This is presented as anecdotal evidence, stating the plans the democratic party has for making college free. Both kinds of evidence fit his audience which is people who are concerned about the impact of free college on themselves or people they know.

Both writers agree that college costs are a point of stress for students and use similar kinds of arguments to address it. However, they disagree on a solution. Tressie Cottom advocates for free college, and Matt Brueing believes that free college will result in more problems than we had before. It is important for people to consider both points of view to create an informed opinion.

           

 

           

Sources

 

Bruenig, Matt. “The Case Against Free College.” The New Republic, 17 June 2023, 3022/case-against-free-college.

newrepublic.com/article/12Cottom, Tressie McMillan, et al. “Why Free College Is Necessary.” Dissent Magazine, 23 Sept. 2019, www.dissentmagazine.org/article/tressie-mcmillan-cottom-why-free-college-necessary. 

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