One of the main issues of this past presidential election is how affordable college education is. President Obama has attempted to make community colleges free for eligible students, although that obviously hasn't happened yet. Bernie Sanders' plan was to make all public colleges free, and Hilary Clinton believed in the idea of making it affordable to those that need the help. Free public higher education will provide educational opportunity for all, and the pros far outweigh the cons.

First off, free public higher education will allow more lower-income students to reach graduation. Many students drop out because they don't have the means to pay for tuition all four years. Making public college tuition free would completely eliminate this reason for not graduating. In addition, this would also drastically improve college's graduation rates, as much fewer students would feel the need to drop down to a part time student or take a break from education entirely.

Another valid reason to make public higher education free is that student debt will no longer crush the younger generations. An American student is considered very lucky if they are able to graduate with less than $10,000 in student loan debt. Without the very heavy weight of student loan debt, more college graduates are likely to buy houses instead of renting apartments. In addition, they may spend money on other luxuries, such as cars, traveling, and healthier food, therefore contributing more to the economy.

Furthermore, without significant student debt, students are likely to have more freedom to choose a major they enjoy. Current students are often guided towards majors that have the highest paying potential after college. If spending many thousands of dollars is no longer a factor, students, as well as parents, are much more likely to approve of studying for majors that don't always have a large paycheck come with them. A student's interest in what they are studying will lead to a lower chance of burning out or not graduating.

More people going to college would be another great benefit of a free public college education. With cost almost always being the main reason someone decides not to go to college, free public college is sure to drastically increase the amount of college students in America. This will create a better-educated workforce and a population that has better critical thinking skills. As a result, there is likely to be more innovation in all areas of society.

Overall, it is fairly evident that the benefits of free public college will outweigh the costs. American students deserve the opportunity to pursue their dreams without many thousands of dollars of debt on their shoulders. We as a nation owe the younger generation a fight for free tuition, which will lead to an overall more competent and innovative world. Please sign this page to support this.