Free Community College Education
How long do student loans take to pay off? For several, student loans take years and years. Parents’ sometimes help with tuition bills, but graduates are constantly stumbling under the weight of student loan debts. Now as a society we are aware college is not cheap. In fact, the crisis of affordability to attend university and community college is in high demand today. The number of people enrolling into college is decreasing, student loans are increasing, and associates degrees actually make a difference in the work force whether people believe it or not; therefore, Community College should be free.
First we need to increase the number of people attending college. One reason college enrollment is decreasing is because of financial issues. Another
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President Obama’s focus on the first two years of college makes sense. Two-year associate degrees pay off. The unemployment rate for people with associate degrees is twenty-five percent lower than for those with just a high school diploma. Forty percent of people who earn associate degrees go on to earn higher degrees (America’s College Promise Proposal). Also, when trying to find a job, an associate’s degree can make a huge difference. The extra two years of schooling means a lot to employers (Kelly and Sara Goldrick-Rab 67).
Community colleges offer all sorts of job opportunities. A few career paths individuals could follow is something in Health Care, Law and Justice, or a Civil Engineer. According to data from last year, the average Respiratory Therapy Technician makes around $46,000 annually and this price is increasing as the demand for health care workers are increasing. A Paralegal or a Legal Assistant makes around $47,000 annually on average and Civil Engineering Technicians make around the same (McKinney 4). Many Americans are not able to follow these career paths, but if community college is free, anything is