President Barack Obama’s vision in which “two years of college becomes as free and universal in America as high school is today” stands as ambitious, noble, and thought-provoking. Yes, it also seems unrealistic, unaffordable, and unattainable, but those qualifiers should not be enough to entirely dismiss the notion; many a great idea has appeared beyond reach prior to its conception. As Robert Kennedy once said, “There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were and ask why not?”
So, why not? Why should the United States not make two years of college attainable and affordable for anybody who wishes to pursue them?
Well, one reason is the issue of cost and the fact that the plan asks states to contribute 25 percent of the expenses. If the federal government provided subsidies for millions of high school graduates to attend community college, the tax burden would be enormous; colleges would have to compensate for funding currently provided by tuition payments, causing further budget headaches for state governments; and colleges would be faced with untenable expenses for construction and hiring to accommodate vast enrollment increases.
Another drawback would involve how effectively students take advantage of their opportunities. As Michelle R. Weise writes for The Wall Street Journal: “Community college is great if it helps you get a bachelor’s degree, but only one in five students attending these institutions goes on to earn the degree within six years according to federal data. In addition, only 21 percent of first-time, full-time students earn an associate’s degree within three years, and tuition is not the main obstacle to the completion of a degree for low-income students.” And, presumably, students who already enroll in community college are more motivated and dedicated than many who would attend simply because tuition is paid for by the federal government.