Should college tuition for public institutions be reduced? Maryam Stephens 2nd Hour Speech 1/11/2016

The class of 2015 was named “The Most Indebted Class Ever” by the Wallstreet Journal. The reasons named for this title to were: the rising tuition costs, cuts in state funding, rising interest rates, and more fees. But the biggest reason was there has been no change in the amount of financial aid awarded per student even with the dramatic shift in cost. Did you know?

The average amount of student loan debt has reached $35,000 The average amount of student loan debt has reached $35,000. That is more than ¼ the salary of a normal student coming out of college. Students are swimming in debt and the employment rate is not going up. In order to alleviate this problem, the government should reduce the cost of public college tuition. Introduction

Reason #1 College is a necessity not a luxury. A college degree in this economy is no longer a choice. In order to get a good paying job a bachelors degree is the bass line. The gap between a degree holding worker and a non degree holding working starts at $17,000. From there it grows continuously larger. So, in order to fulfill your pursuit of happiness a college degree is a necessary credential. Reason #1

Higher education should be made accessible to everyone as it now determines your quality of life. If our society wants to progress and relinquish the gaps between the lower and upper classes education is the way. If a good education was more accessible to those less fortunate then people would be more likely to indulge in it. Which would mean more educated people and less of a gap between classes. Reason #2

Without crippling debt, students would be better members of society and would be able to contribute to the strengthening of the economy. Most students take out loans on a standard 10 year plan but most end up paying theirs over a period of 15+ years. This means that the majority of their paychecks is going to pay for their loan and they are not contributing to the open market as heavily. Simply, because they cannot afford to with the heavy burden of a loan. Reason #3

Some argue that this proposal is too costly for the government and tax payers but those people are uninformed. The government would not have to hike up taxes in order to reduce the cost since they invest so much into it as it is. They pay out so much for grants, loans, and other financial aid. All they need to do is use that money towards reducing education which would cost nothing to tax payers and very little to them. Counterargument

In conclusion, the cost of public college tuition should be reduced because it is a necessity to go to college. It would also mean a better thriving economy and more jobs created. It should also be free because everyone should have the opportunity to pursue higher education and it would lessen the class and race gap. Conclusion

Sources Wallstreet Journal Huffington Post US News