Three Concerns About The Obama Free Community College Plan

By Nathan Young on January 9, 2015

This week, President Obama actually proposed something that needs to happen! And here is why, about 30-40 years ago, graduating from high school was a major achievement. It opened graduates doors to a wide variety of jobs that they could be hired in with good pay. Today, high school graduates are lucky to get a good paying job right out of high school, and many must go on to at least get a 2 year degree from a college. The problem is that is not free, and with tuitions going higher and higher, many find themselves thousands of dollars in debt just to get a good paying job, it’s wrong!

Now, President Obama is proposing that anyone who maintains at least a 2.5 GPA can go to a 2 year community college for free! Yea, the chances that the current undivided Congress actually agrees to this is highly unlikely, but this is something Mr. Obama can leave a legacy on. The models Obama wants to see started are currently in the state of Tennessee and the city of Chicago, and it would involve the federal government and states combining to pay the entire cost of tuition for two years at a community college for any American who wanted to go.

Today, Pell Grants already helps those who are the poorest, and the people in the higher classes can already afford to pay for school. Officials estimate 9 million people across the country could save about $3800 in college costs. But, if the federal government and the states eventually get to do something like this, I have a few concerns about how the money would be spent. Would the money go towards training people for careers that are in demand. And would good quality schools actually get the money, instead of those for profit schools that scams people. Here are the three biggest concerns I have about a program like this.

1. Training people for the right type of careers

Sadly, some people are going to school to get degrees that are not in demand. That leaves them with thousands of dollars of debt, and probably living in their parent’s basement and working a job at McDonald’s. The money must be used to make sure students are trained for and placed upon graduation into jobs and careers that are very high in demand, like machine operators, welders, plumbers, robotics, and other high demand career fields.

2. Providing funds to the top notch college programs

Will the money go towards schools that are well known in successfully placing their students into good paying jobs after graduation, or scamming their students and making them struggle after graduation? I want to make sure that all funds only goes to schools that shows the government that they place their students into good jobs after graduating. No money should go towards schools that only cares about their staff and administrators.

3. Will tuitions continue to rise and rise?

Colleges are only getting more and more expensive. The cost keeps going up and up every year, and it is out of control. If a program like this is started, I would like the government to force schools to show where the money goes. And why tuitions have to go up. Some schools have begun to control the costs of their tuition, but many have not. The feds already waste a lot of money, let’s not waste more money!

So, I hope we will eventually see everyone get to continue their education, and get at least a two-year degree at a community college without paying thousands of dollars for it. Will it happen under President Obama and the current Congress, we will see, but don’t count on it!