education should not be free argumentative essay

• Search Search Please fill out this field.
• Student Loans
• Paying for College

Should College Be Free? The Pros and Cons

Should college be free? Understand the debate from both sides

Types of Publicly Funded College Tuition Programs

Pros: why college should be free, cons: why college should not be free, what the free college debate means for students, how to cut your college costs now, frequently asked questions (faqs).

damircudic / Getty Images

Americans have been debating the wisdom of free college for decades, and more than 20 states now offer some type of free college program. But it wasn't until 2021 that a nationwide free college program came close to becoming reality, re-energizing a longstanding debate over whether or not free college is a good idea. 

And despite a setback for the free-college advocates, the idea is still in play. The Biden administration's proposal for free community college was scrapped from the American Families Plan in October as the spending bill was being negotiated with Congress.

But close observers say that similar proposals promoting free community college have drawn solid bipartisan support in the past. "Community colleges are one of the relatively few areas where there's support from both Republicans and Democrats," said Tulane economics professor Douglas N. Harris, who has previously consulted with the Biden administration on free college, in an interview with The Balance. 

To get a sense of the various arguments for and against free college, as well as the potential impacts on U.S. students and taxpayers, The Balance combed through studies investigating the design and implementation of publicly funded free tuition programs and spoke with several higher education policy experts. Here's what we learned about the current debate over free college in the U.S.—and more about how you can cut your college costs or even get free tuition through existing programs.

Key Takeaways

• Research shows that free tuition programs encourage more students to attend college and increase graduation rates, which creates a better-educated workforce and higher-earning consumers who can help boost the economy. 
• Some programs are criticized for not paying students’ non-tuition expenses, for not benefiting students who need assistance most, or for steering students toward community college instead of four-year programs.  
• If you want to find out about free programs in your area, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education has a searchable database. You’ll find the link further down in this article. 

Before diving into the weeds of the free college debate, it's important to note that not all free college programs are alike. Most publicly funded tuition assistance programs are restricted to the first two years of study, typically at community colleges. Free college programs also vary widely in the ways they’re designed, funded, and structured:

• Last-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs cover any remaining tuition after a student has used up other financial aid , such as Pell Grants. Most state-run free college programs fall into this category. However, these programs don’t typically help with room and board or other expenses.
• First-dollar tuition-free programs : These programs pay for students' tuition upfront, although they’re much rarer than last-dollar programs. Any remaining financial aid that a student receives can then be applied to other expenses, such as books and fees. The California College Promise Grant is a first-dollar program because it waives enrollment fees for eligible students.
• Debt-free programs : These programs pay for all of a student's college expenses , including room and board, guaranteeing that they can graduate debt-free. But they’re also much less common, likely due to their expense.  

Proponents often argue that publicly funded college tuition programs eventually pay for themselves, in part by giving students the tools they need to find better jobs and earn higher incomes than they would with a high school education. The anticipated economic impact, they suggest, should help ease concerns about the costs of public financing education. Here’s a closer look at the arguments for free college programs.

A More Educated Workforce Benefits the Economy

Morley Winograd, President of the Campaign for Free College Tuition, points to the economic and tax benefits that result from the higher wages of college grads. "For government, it means more revenue," said Winograd in an interview with The Balance—the more a person earns, the more they will likely pay in taxes . In addition, "the country's economy gets better because the more skilled the workforce this country has, the better [it’s] able to compete globally." Similarly, local economies benefit from a more highly educated, better-paid workforce because higher earners have more to spend. "That's how the economy grows," Winograd explained, “by increasing disposable income."

According to Harris, the return on a government’s investment in free college can be substantial. "The additional finding of our analysis was that these things seem to consistently pass a cost-benefit analysis," he said. "The benefits seem to be at least double the cost in the long run when we look at the increased college attainment and the earnings that go along with that, relative to the cost and the additional funding and resources that go into them." 

Free College Programs Encourage More Students to Attend

Convincing students from underprivileged backgrounds to take a chance on college can be a challenge, particularly when students are worried about overextending themselves financially. But free college programs tend to have more success in persuading students to consider going, said Winograd, in part because they address students' fears that they can't afford higher education . "People who wouldn't otherwise think that they could go to college, or who think the reason they can't is because it's too expensive, [will] stop, pay attention, listen, decide it's an opportunity they want to take advantage of and enroll," he said.

According to Harris, students also appear to like the certainty and simplicity of the free college message. "They didn't want to have to worry that next year they were not going to have enough money to pay their tuition bill," he said. "They don't know what their finances are going to look like a few months down the road, let alone next year, and it takes a while to get a degree. So that matters." 

Free college programs can also help send "a clear and tangible message" to students and their families that a college education is attainable for them, said Michelle Dimino, an Education Senior Policy Advisor with Third Way. This kind of messaging is especially important to first-generation and low-income students, she said. 

Free College Increases Graduation Rates and Financial Security

Free tuition programs appear to improve students’ chances of completing college. For example, Harris noted that his research found a meaningful link between free college tuition and higher graduation rates. "What we found is that it did increase college graduation at the two-year college level, so more students graduated than otherwise would have." 

Free college tuition programs also give people a better shot at living a richer, more comfortable life, say advocates. "It's almost an economic necessity to have some college education," noted Winograd. Similar to the way a high school diploma was viewed as crucial in the 20th century, employees are now learning that they need at least two years of college to compete in a global, information-driven economy. "Free community college is a way of making that happen quickly, effectively and essentially," he explained. 

Free community college isn’t a universally popular idea. While many critics point to the potential costs of funding such programs, others identify issues with the effectiveness and fairness of current attempts to cover students’ college tuition. Here’s a closer look at the concerns about free college programs.

It Would Be Too Expensive

The idea of free community college has come under particular fire from critics who worry about the cost of social spending. Since community colleges aren't nearly as expensive as four-year colleges—often costing thousands of dollars a year—critics argue that individuals can often cover their costs using other forms of financial aid . But, they point out, community college costs would quickly add up when paid for in bulk through a free college program: Biden’s proposed free college plan would have cost $49.6 billion in its first year, according to an analysis from Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Some opponents argue that the funds could be put to better use in other ways, particularly by helping students complete their degrees.

Free College Isn't Really Free

One of the most consistent concerns that people have voiced about free college programs is that they don’t go far enough. Even if a program offers free tuition, students will need to find a way to pay for other college-related expenses , such as books, room and board, transportation, high-speed internet, and, potentially, child care. "Messaging is such a key part of this," said Dimino. Students "may apply or enroll in college, understanding it's going to be free, but then face other unexpected charges along the way." 

It's important for policymakers to consider these factors when designing future free college programs. Otherwise, Dimino and other observers fear that students could potentially wind up worse off if they enroll and invest in attending college and then are forced to drop out due to financial pressures. 

Free College Programs Don’t Help the Students Who Need Them Most

Critics point out that many free college programs are limited by a variety of quirks and restrictions, which can unintentionally shut out deserving students or reward wealthier ones. Most state-funded free college programs are last-dollar programs, which don’t kick in until students have applied financial aid to their tuition. That means these programs offer less support to low-income students who qualify for need-based aid—and more support for higher-income students who don’t.

Community College May Not Be the Best Path for All Students

Some critics also worry that all students will be encouraged to attend community college when some would have been better off at a four-year institution. Four-year colleges tend to have more resources than community colleges and so can offer more support to high-need students. 

In addition, some research has shown that students at community colleges are less likely to be academically successful than students at four-year colleges, said Dimino. "Statistically, the data show that there are poorer outcomes for students at community colleges […] such as lower graduation rates and sometimes low transfer rates from two- to four-year schools." 

With Congress focused on other priorities, a nationwide free college program is unlikely to happen anytime soon. However, some states and municipalities offer free tuition programs, so students may be able to access some form of free college, depending on where they live. A good resource is the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education’s searchable database of Promise Programs , which lists more than 120 free community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

In the meantime, school leaders and policymakers may shift their focus to other access and equity interventions for low-income students. For example, higher education experts Eileen Strempel and Stephen Handel published a book in 2021 titled "Beyond Free College: Making Higher Education Work for 21st Century Students." The book argues in part that policymakers should focus more strongly on college completion, not just college access. "There hasn't been enough laser-focus on how we actually get people to complete their degrees," noted Strempel in an interview with The Balance. 

Rather than just improving access for low-income college students, Strempel and Handel argue that decision-makers should instead look more closely at the social and economic issues that affect students , such as food and housing insecurity, child care, transportation, and personal technology. For example, "If you don't have a computer, you don't have access to your education anymore," said Strempel. "It's like today's pencil."

Saving money on college costs can be challenging, but you can take steps to reduce your cost of living. For example, if you're interested in a college but haven't yet enrolled, pay close attention to where it's located and how much residents typically pay for major expenses, such as housing, utilities, and food. If the college is located in a high-cost area, it could be tough to justify the living expenses you'll incur. Similarly, if you plan to commute, take the time to check gas or public transportation prices and calculate how much you'll likely have to spend per month to go to and from campus several times a week. 

Now that more colleges offer classes online, it may also be worth looking at lower-cost programs in areas that are farther from where you live, particularly if they allow you to graduate without setting foot on campus. Also check out state and federal financial aid programs that can help you slim down your expenses, or, in some cases, pay for them completely. Finally, look into need-based and merit-based grants and scholarships that can help you cover even more of your expenses. Also consider applying to no-loan colleges , which promise to help students graduate without going into debt.

Should community college be free?

It’s a big question with varying viewpoints. Supporters of free community college cite the economic contributions of a more educated workforce and the individual benefit of financial security, while critics caution against the potential expense and the inefficiency of last-dollar free college programs. 

What states offer free college?

More than 20 states offer some type of tuition-free college program, including Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington State. The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education lists 115 last-dollar community college programs and 16 first-dollar community college programs, though the majority are limited to California residents.

Is there a free college?

There is no such thing as a truly free college education. But some colleges offer free tuition programs for students, and more than 20 states offer some type of tuition-free college program. In addition, students may also want to check out employer-based programs. A number of big employers now offer to pay for their employees' college tuition . Finally, some students may qualify for enough financial aid or scholarships to cover most of their college costs.

The White House. “ Build Back Better Framework ,” see “Bringing Down Costs, Reducing Inflationary Pressures, and Strengthening the Middle Class.”

The White House. “ Fact Sheet: How the Build Back Better Plan Will Create a Better Future for Young Americans ,” see “Education and Workforce Opportunities.”

Coast Community College District. “ California College Promise Grant .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Biden’s Free College Plan Would Pay for Itself Within 10 Years.”

Third Way. “ Why Free College Could Increase Inequality .”

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. “ The Dollars and Cents of Free College ,” see “Free-College Programs Have Different Effects on Race and Class Equity.”

University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. “ College Promise Programs: A Comprehensive Catalog of College Promise Programs in the United States .”

College Reality Check

10 Reasons Why College Should Not be Free and 12 Reasons Why It Should Be

Earning a college degree is synonymous with access to more job opportunities, increased earning potential and significantly higher lifetime earnings. However, going to college is also linked to exorbitant tuition costs, outrageous student debt and inaccessibility to many students from low-income backgrounds.

Many of the downsides that come with attending college can be resolved with one thing: making it free.

In this post, we will talk about some of the reasons why college should be offered free of charge as well as why it should not come for free. Since anything is possible, you will realize that some of the good things free college can bring can be negated by some of the bad things it can bring — so don’t stop reading now!

But before anything else, let’s answer this question a lot of low-income students are too shy to ask…

Does Free College Exist?

Free college is available for less than 1% of all students who get full-ride scholarships. The free college also exists in some states where there are tuition-free programs available for eligible students. As of this writing, there are around 20 states in the US that offer some type of free college.

There is one surefire way to earn a college degree cost-free: earning a full-ride scholarship.

A full-ride scholarship, simply put, covers all expenses that have something to do with college — from tuition, books to room and board. In many instances, the awardee’s living costs are covered, too.

Depending on which college or university grants it, a full-ride scholarship can sometimes amount to more than $200,000.

While it’s true that a full-ride scholarship can make earning a degree less problematic for someone who is from a low-income background, there is one problem: this type of aid can be extremely rare.

As mentioned above, less than 1% of students win full-ride scholarships per year — that’s equivalent to around 20,000 degree-seeking incoming freshmen students!

A free ride scholarship can either be need- or merit-based. Either way, one thing is true: available free-ride scholarships are very competitive. And the more selective the school that awards it, the harder it is to win a free-ride scholarship. You will have to have a certain GPA and demonstrate certain skills and competencies, among other requirements.

Besides getting your hands on a full-ride scholarship, you can also enjoy free college by attending an institution in one of the few states with tuition-free programs.

States where there are free college tuition programs for eligible students at four-year institutions include:

• Indiana – Program: 21st Century Scholarship
• New York – Program: Excelsior Scholarship
• Washington – Program: College Bound Scholarship Washington

In the following states, there are free college tuition programs for qualified community college students:

• California – Program: California College Promise Grant
• Delaware – Program: Delaware Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) Scholarship Program
• Hawaii – Program: Hawaii Promise Scholarship
• Maryland – Program: Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship
• Michigan – Program: Michigan Reconnect
• Missouri – Program: A+ Scholarship Program
• Montana – Program: Montana Promise Act
• Nevada – Program: Nevada Promise Scholarship
• New Jersey – Program: Community College Opportunity Grant
• New Mexico – Program: Opportunity Scholarship
• Oklahoma – Program: Oklahoma’s Promise
• Oregon – Program: Oregon Promise
• Rhode Island – Program: Rhode Island Promise Scholarship
• Tennessee – Program: Tennessee Promise

And then there are also states where there are free college tuition programs but are limited by certain factors:

• Arkansas – Program: Arkansas Future (ArFuture) Grant
• Kentucky – Program: Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship
• Kansas – Program: Kansas Promise Scholarship
• Virginia – Program: G3
• South Dakota – Program: Build Dakota
• West Virginia – Program: West Virginia Invests Grant Program

But just because you are going to a school in one of these states doesn’t mean right away you will enjoy a tuition-free college experience .

As expected, there are certain eligibility requirements to meet. Some of them include being a resident, having a particular high school GPA and attending a certain type of institution.

Now that the fact that free college — well, in many instances, to some extent — actually exists, it’s time to dive straight into the heart of this post: reasons why college should not be not free and why it should be free.

Let’s start on a positive note…

12 Reasons Why College Should be Free

Graduating high school students who do not intend on attending college have different reasons for going straight into the workforce immediately after obtaining their high school diplomas. One of them, without any doubt, is that college is too expensive. So, by making college cost-free, chances are that they will have a change of heart.

Wondering what earning a degree would be like if college isn’t as damaging to the pocket as it is today? Below, you will come across the different reasons why it being free of charge is a great idea.

No student debt

According to data from Statista , the average federal student loan debt per borrower amounts to $37,113. On the other hand, the average private student loan debt per borrower can be as high as $40,904.

While it can be extremely challenging to graduate from college without any student loan debt, especially among low-income students, it’s possible.

As a matter of fact, as much as 38% of undergraduate students graduate without any student loan debt — of those, more than half attended associate programs and less than a third attended bachelor’s programs.

By offering college at no cost, the percentage of graduates with zero student loan debt will increase.

Because of this, employed degree holders can use much of their earnings to gear up for the education of their kids or their retirement rather than to pay off student loans for the next 20 years of their professional lives — some of those with professional degrees can take up to 45 years to repay their student loans!

Increased college enrollment

If college were free, then no graduating high school students would have to consider the cost when building a college list or deciding whether or not they will go to college — everyone would probably apply straight to their dream schools.

Prestigious colleges and universities would become more popular.

On the other hand, public ones would get more funding from the state and federal governments.

And it’s not just degree-granting institutions that could benefit — businesses and organizations would also enjoy the fact that there would be plenty of qualified individuals to hire.

But keep in mind that even if earning a degree came free of charge, it might not necessarily entice everyone to apply to colleges and universities after high school.

Skepticism for the need for higher education, availability of jobs for people whose highest educational attainment is a high school diploma, making enough money at one’s current job, having successful parents who have no degrees, the absence of an idea of what to do with one’s life — these and more can keep a person from enrolling in college.

Lower dropout rate

There are many different reasons why students drop out of college. Among all dropouts , up to 38% of them cite financial constraints as the cause — and a third of them quit college even before their sophomore year.

If you are from a low-income family, dropping out would likely be the least of your worries if college were free.

But making college free won’t necessarily keep students in school. The steep cost of college is one of the reasons why some students drop out — it’s not the only reason.

Academic stress, uncertainty of one’s chosen major , conflict with personal or work commitments, and unhappiness with the overall college experience are some other common reasons.

Higher graduation rate

Colleges and universities with the highest graduation rates tend to be the most selective and expensive. Meanwhile, those that are less selective and expensive tend to have the lowest graduation rates.

One of the most common reasons behind a college’s low graduation rate is the dissatisfaction of the students with their experience there, which can be due to making the mistake of choosing a school that isn’t the perfect fit.

And why do many students fail to attend their dream colleges?

The short answer is money.

According to the study , 40% of those who opt out of their top-choice schools cite cost as the reason.

If college were free, then you would be able to attend the college of your preference no matter the cost of attendance, thus considerably increasing your chances of graduating — a good fit college is a school that can meet your academic needs as well as keep you from being burdened financially.

Better college experience

It’s not uncommon for students from low-income backgrounds to stick to public in-state colleges and universities in order to keep the cost of earning a degree as low as possible.

While there are many highly-ranked in-state schools, limiting yourself to an institution in your state, in some instances, means making do with the programs and resources that it offers, which can keep you from having the best possible college experience that supports your various academic, social and even emotional needs.

Without having to worry about steep out-of-state tuition costs as a result of free college, there is no need to feel guilty about overburdening your parents financially when adding schools in other states to your college list.

A positive college experience is vital in order to become a well-rounded student and a competitive job applicant.

More people with double majors

It is estimated that 25% of undergraduate students are double majors. However, some colleges and universities say that 30% to 40% of their attendees are doing double majors!

There are many perks that come with double majoring.

Some of them include acquiring more skill sets, having more career opportunities and enjoying higher starting and long-term salaries. However, there are also a few cons that come with committing to two majors. And more time and more money spent in college lead the list.

With free college, however, the financial hurdle posed by a double major goes out of the window.

If college were available to students at no cost, those who wish to double major would still have to spend more semesters in school alright, but they could quit worrying about the economic aspect of it.

And if they were attending institutions that allowed students to have up to three majors at once, they could give it a go without leaving the bank in shambles.

Increased job opportunities

If college were free, more individuals would be able to apply for jobs that otherwise they would be unqualified for.

This would be especially beneficial for poor students — after all, those with a college degree are more likely to be able to climb the economic ladder than those without.

According to the Pew Research Center, kids born in the lowest income group who do not earn a four-year degree are four times more likely to end up at the bottom than those who obtain a four-year degree.

Needless to say, free college would not only solve unemployment but also economic poverty.

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations (UN) says that labor is often the only asset that the poor can use in order to improve their well-being. Therefore, allowing them to have the opportunity to earn a degree for free in order to qualify for available jobs can help in the attainment of poverty reduction.

Increased financial stability

Everyone knows that one of the benefits of a college degree is increased earning potential. This perk is evident from the get-go, says the 2021 Salary Survey report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

The average starting salary of degree holders shows an upward trend, based on data from the said report.

For the Class of 2020 graduates, for instance, the average starting salary was 2.5% higher than the average starting salary amounting to $53,889 for the Class of 2019 and up 8.5% from the Class of 2018’s average starting salary of $50,944.

But the perks of graduating from college salary-wise don’t begin and end with one’s initial job.

Numerous studies show that individuals with a college degree make significantly more money throughout their lifetime than those with a high school diploma only. Needless to say, it can be easy for them to attain financial stability, which is why they earn anywhere from $630,000 to $900,000 more in median lifetime earnings than high school graduates.

Resolved labor shortage

In 2021, over 47 million workers in the US quit their jobs. Their reasons for resigning were varied — some wanted better compensation, while others wanted a more balanced work-life ratio.

But it doesn’t mean employers can easily replace those millions of vacant job positions. While there are many job seekers, there are only a few qualified candidates.

This results in a labor shortage, which can be more complicated than it seems. During a labor shortage, it’s not just filling positions that become challenging but also retaining employees.

In order to counter this, employers may have to pay higher salaries and improve benefits.

If earning a college degree were costless, there would be a lot of qualified job seekers. Needless to say, a labor shortage could be a thing of the past. And it’s not just employees that would be happy for being able to work in fields related to their expertise but also employers for having successful businesses.

Increased government revenue (taxes)

It’s no secret that having a college degree is critical to having a high-paying job. Not all majors are created equal — some are higher-paying than the rest, such as those that allow degree holders to hold job positions in health care, engineering, information technology, finance and legal.

However, the higher the salary, the higher the income tax rate.

For the US government, the federal income tax is the largest source of revenue. As a matter of fact, in 2021, the US government collected revenue amounting to a whopping $4.05 trillion!

Cost-free college is perfect for students who can’t afford a degree today but are willing to contribute to government revenue after four to six years — on average, a college graduate pays $328,511 in lifetime taxes .

Fulfillment of right to education

According to Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has a right to education and it shall be directed to the full development of the human personality as well as to the strengthening of one’s respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

And since human rights are inherent to all human beings, no matter the race, ethnicity, language, religion, sex, age or any other status, they cannot be taken or given away.

It’s exactly because of this why the US government is funding public and state colleges.

Still, earning a degree from these institutions is, most of the time, only cheap and not entirely free. If college were free, more and more students would be able to practice their right to education, including especially low-income ones.

Better services to the citizens

As a college graduate with a high-paying job, it’s not just you and your loved ones that can benefit from your paycheck — the entire US population can benefit from it as well, believe it or not.

Money collected by the US government through federal taxes is used to shoulder the costs of the growth and upkeep of the nation. Some of the things that federal tax funds are used for include building and maintaining infrastructure as well as improving various sectors such as agriculture and public transportation.

Huge sums also go into the funding of Social Security programs, health programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and pensions and benefits of government workers. Some go into the provision of emergency relief.

Being able to attend college for free allows you to obtain all the knowledge base and skill set you will need in order to land a job that pays well, contribute a larger amount of money to the US government revenue in the form of federal tax, and help provide your fellowmen with the services and benefits they need.

And now, let’s check out some of the negatives…

10 Reasons Why College Should Not be Free

The steep cost is the main reason why the majority of high school graduates who skip college would prefer to get a job than earn a degree. While having access to free college sounds like a fantastic idea, in the real world, however, there are some downsides that come with it, many of which can be quite serious and alarming.

Wondering what it would be like if college were free? Wonder no more — below are some of the things that are very much likely to happen if getting a college degree suddenly becomes free of charge.

Increased student-to-faculty ratio

There are many perks that come with attending a college with a low student-to-faculty ratio. Some of the most noteworthy ones include more individualized attention, increased social engagement within the classroom, and a better learning environment. So, in other words, it contributes to a more positive college experience.

Some colleges, such as MIT and CIT, have an incredibly low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1 in some classes.

If college came for free, you could say goodbye to having the opportunity to experience round-table discussions — chances are that you would spend each and every class of yours in a lecture hall where it is assumed that all students learn at the same style and pace and that all teachers are able to address the academic needs of every student.

Underpopulated less prestigious colleges

Many dream of attending some of the most elite colleges and universities in the land. However, only a few actually take the necessary steps in order to make that dream come true.

One of the main reasons why many steer clear of top-notch schools is that they have steep tuition costs.

And this is why if earning a degree came cost-free, the majority of graduating high schoolers would flock to prestigious schools due to their newfound affordability, leaving less-elite ones looking like ghost towns. However, while the cost might no longer be a hurdle to overcome, the selectivity level could still intimidate some applicants.

Harder eligibility requirements

Because of the huge possibility that hoards of college-bound kids would apply to the Ivy Leagues and Ivy-like institutions if college were free, chances are that prestigious schools would end up being even more selective.

An acceptance rate of 1% might be commonplace in order to make sure that only the most deserving get admitted.

But this could also serve as an incentive for high schoolers to partake in worthwhile extracurriculars, take challenging AP classes and get high GPAs for considerably increased chances of getting an acceptance letter from competitive colleges and universities that have just amped up their admissions process.

Since money would no longer be a huge problem, many bright and talented students from low-income backgrounds might feel less apprehensive and anxious about applying to prestigious schools notorious for their high tuition rates.

Higher dropout rate

Many high school teens who dream big work hard to get high GPAs. And many college students work even harder to complete their respective programs because college is expensive — they don’t want the money that their parents or they themselves worked hard for to end up down the drain.

But if college were free, many students might lose track of the value of hard work toward a degree.

Going to college without having to pay for associated costs might make earning a degree less challenging and interesting, thus causing students to lose motivation and drop out of college — since it’s free and there’s nothing to lose but time, they could always go back to college whenever they regain the drive to become degree holders.

Lower graduation rate

The graduation rates of colleges and universities can be affected by many different factors . Some of them include family income, the age of the students, and race or ethnicity.

Failure of a school to meet the expectations of the students is another.

Besides an increase in the student-to-faculty ratio, as earlier discussed, free college could also lead to a scarcity of resources as a result of a surge in attendees, which could make the overall college experience bad.

Some students might switch colleges, which wouldn’t be a problem since college is available for free, while others might take a break from their studies.

And then there are also those that might completely quit trying to earn a degree in order to give getting a job a shot. No matter the case, free college could result in lower four- and six-year graduation rates.

Reduced value of a college degree

In the US, the percentage of individuals aged 25 years and older with at least a bachelor’s degree is 32.1%. If college came free of charge, the number of degree holders in the US would be significantly higher.

Suppose that everyone who went to college at no cost graduated and earned a degree. Then the world would be packed with adults equipped with the knowledge and skills they would need to get a job. However, companies would provide lower pay and fewer benefits since anyone who applied would be a perfect candidate.

An undergraduate degree, ultimately, might wind up being worth a little more than a high school diploma.

And as a result of this, everyone with a bachelor’s degree would have to strive to earn a graduate degree in order to stand out from the rest of the undergraduate degree-holding crowd.

Reduced job opportunities

It’s true that a college degree can open doors to many different career opportunities. However, if everyone had a degree because of free college, college graduates might cause mayhem in the job market.

Since all applicants would have a degree, which would equal the playing field, employers might end up using benchmarks other than having a college diploma for the selection of candidates to hire — it could be anything from GPAs, involvement in extracurricular activities to special abilities.

Overqualification for jobs

On the flip side, besides having fewer career opportunities, many degree holders would become overqualified for certain jobs, including especially those in fields not related to their majors.

There are many perks employers can enjoy for hiring overqualified candidates. Some of them include a broader talent pool, lower training costs, lower management requirements and faster return to full productivity.

What’s more, introducing overqualified talents can challenge employees to exceed current expectations.

However, there are some downsides, too.

For one, it’s the perfect recipe for a high turnover — overqualified individuals may get bored or frustrated and soon leave for a job they are better suited for. Other employees and the managers themselves may feel anxious for fear of being replaced. Hiring overqualified talents may also stretch the payroll budget.

So, in other words, free college could saturate the job market with overqualified individuals that no businesses or companies would like to welcome aboard for fear of the negatives associated with hiring them.

Depletion of government funds

According to the latest data , the amount of money the US government allots to the funding of public and state colleges is $189 billion. From 2017 to 2022, the annual increase in the total funding is 1.8%.

That’s how much money is needed to keep degree-granting public institutions up and running.

If the cost of earning a degree at these schools were zero, more students would apply and the government would have to allocate more money to them in order to accommodate all attendees. It’s also not unlikely for private donors to public colleges and universities to call it a day in order to avoid winding up bankrupt.

Termination of certain federal or state programs

If college were free and public and state colleges ended up jam-packed with degree-seeking students, the federal or state government might have to abort some existing or planned projects as more funding would have to be apportioned to public two or four-year institutions.

Some of the programs that could wind up on the chopping block might have a minor impact on only a certain demographic, while others might have a substantial impact on everyone across the board.

Either way, free college could prove to be a threat to the nation’s funds.

Just Before You Wish That College Were Free

Free college comes with so many different perks — from making a degree more accessible to low-income students, very little to no student debt to increased chances of financial stability.

Others can benefit, too, from the state government to the entire citizenry.

But then there are also things that can make college that’s cost-free a bad thing. For instance, it can make the overall college experience bad due to stuff such as increased student-to-faculty ratio and reduced worth of a college degree.

As one Insider article has put it, people just don’t value the things they obtain for free.

Whether you are pro or anti free college, there are free college programs available in some states for students who need them and meet eligibility requirements, too.

The good news is that students from low-income families need not wait for college to be entirely free before they decide to earn a degree.

That’s because there are numerous ways to make college affordable, and it usually starts by choosing the right institution to attend and filling out the FAFSA form and submitting it ASAP, too.

Independent Education Consultant, Editor-in-chief. I have a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and training in College Counseling. Member of American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

Similar Posts

Does Your Dream College Favor Men or Women? The Answer May Impact Your Admission Chances

Why are Colleges Closing?

20 Colleges With the Unhappiest Students

Do Employers Check Education on Resumes? Here’s What You Need to Know

What Does Tuition-Free Mean?

9 Short-Term Courses With High Salary

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Student Opinion

Should College Be Free?

Do you think other states should follow New Mexico in making higher education tuition-free? What would that mean for society?

By Callie Holtermann

Do you plan to go to college? Are you or your family concerned about paying for it?

In the past three decades, the average cost of attending a private college in the United States has tripled — landing at around $50,000 per year.

Should college cost this much? How would our society change if college cost nothing at all?

Amid declines in enrollment , states including Texas and Michigan are experimenting with plans to reduce or eliminate tuition for many students. Starting in July, New Mexico will go a step further: It will completely cover tuition for all state residents who attend public colleges and universities.

In “ What if College Were Free? This State Is Trying to Find Out. ,” Simon Romero writes about the state’s plan, which received bipartisan approval:

As universities across the United States face steep enrollment declines , New Mexico’s government is embarking on a pioneering experiment to fight that trend: tuition-free higher education for all state residents. After President Biden’s plan for universal free community college failed to gain traction in Congress, New Mexico, one of the nation’s poorest states, has emerged with perhaps the most ambitious plans as states scramble to come up with their own initiatives. A new state law approved in a rare show of bipartisanship allocates almost 1 percent of the state’s budget toward covering tuition and fees at public colleges and universities, community colleges and tribal colleges. All state residents from new high school graduates to adults enrolling part-time will be eligible regardless of family income. The program is also open to immigrants regardless of their immigration status. Some legislators and other critics question whether there should have been income caps, and whether the state, newly flush with oil and gas revenue, can secure long-term funding to support the program beyond its first year. The legislation, which seeks to treat college as a public resource similar to primary and secondary education, takes effect in July.

The article continues:

Other states are assembling their own programs: The University of Texas System created a $300 million endowment in February that expands tuition assistance for thousands of students. Michigan provides free college to residents who were essential workers during the pandemic, while also covering tuition at community colleges for people ages 25 or older. Reflecting challenges before and during the pandemic, some initiatives have not produced the desired results. Even after California recently expanded free tuition opportunities, enrollment at its community colleges fell by nearly 15 percent in 2021 from a year earlier. The push for tuition-free higher education comes amid a broader enrollment crisis in the United States. Total undergraduate enrollment fell by 6.6 percent from 2019 to 2021, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

Students, read the entire article , then tell us:

What do you think of New Mexico’s plan to provide tuition-free college to state residents? Do you think college should be “a public resource similar to primary and secondary education,” as New Mexico is treating it? Do you think that your state should adopt a similar plan? Why or why not?

Do you want to attend college? Why or why not? How does the cost of higher education factor into your thinking?

Do you think everyone should go to college — or do you think there should be more alternatives to higher education? If so, what should they be and why?

Why do you think universities across the United States are facing declines in enrollment? Do you think plans to make college less expensive or entirely free are the right way to increase enrollment?

Do you think making college tuition-free is worth the cost? (As the article points out, the money for the first year of the New Mexico program largely comes from pandemic relief funds. After that, legislators will need to draw funds from other sources to keep the program going.) Is it more realistic to do what states like Washington and Tennessee have done and limit tuition assistance to community colleges, exclude some residents because of family income or impose conditions requiring students to work part time?

Mr. Romero describes New Mexico’s initiative as “unusually inclusive,” given that it extends free tuition to inmates, unauthorized immigrants and some Native Americans from neighboring states. Why do you think New Mexico’s legislators decided it was important to make members of these groups eligible for free tuition? What might be some of the long-term effects of free college for all?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Callie Holtermann joined The Learning Network as a senior news assistant in 2020. More about Callie Holtermann

Is free college a good idea? Increasingly, evidence says yes

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, douglas n. harris douglas n. harris nonresident senior fellow - governance studies , brown center on education policy , professor and chair, department of economics - tulane university @douglasharris99.

May 10, 2021

• 10 min read

In just a few short years, the idea of free college has moved from a radical idea to mainstream Democratic thinking. President Biden made free college one of his core campaign planks , and one that the first lady has been promoting for years. In his recent address to Congress, the president also signaled that he is ready for legislative action on a scaled-back version of the idea as part of his American Families Plan .

Two weeks ago, the nonprofit College Promise (CP)—led by Martha Kanter, who served as President Obama’s undersecretary for education—also released a proposal that will influence the free college debate. (Full disclosure: I previously advised the Biden campaign and presently advise CP, but have received no compensation for these efforts.)

In today’s polarized environment, the free college idea stands out for its bipartisan support. A majority of self-identified Republicans has supported the notion of free college in some polls. In fact, one of the first such statewide programs was put in place by Bill Haslam, the former Republican governor of Tennessee. While this could go the way of Obamacare, which faced strong GOP congressional opposition despite the law’s origins with Republican Mitt Romney, free college seems different. Biden’s latest plan only applies to community colleges, which focus on career and vocational education of the sort Republicans support, as opposed to universities, which many Republicans view as hostile battlegrounds in a culture war.

But I am less interested in the politics than the evidence of effectiveness. I have studied college access for many years and run two randomized control trials of financial aid , which produced some of the first causal evidence on free college in Milwaukee. Two years ago, Brookings released the first installment of the Milwaukee work, which I carried out with a team of researchers. Since then, we have collected more data and learned more about how students responded over time. Below, I summarize our just-released study (co-authored with Jonathan Mills), compare our results to other financial aid programs, and then discuss implications for the Biden and CP proposals. Consequently, I conclude that the evidence increasingly favors free college and “open access aid” more generally.

What Did We Learn in Milwaukee?

I developed The Degree Project (TDP) in 2009 as a demonstration program in partnership between the nonprofit Ascendium (then known as the Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation and Affiliates) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS). TDP offered all first-time 9 th graders in half of MPS high schools $12,000 for college as “last-dollar” aid. Students could use the funds for college if they graduated from high school on time with a GPA of 2.5 and a class attendance rate of 90%. Also, as is the norm with free college programs, students had to fill out the FAFSA and have at least one dollar of unmet need. The aid could be used to attend any of the 66 public, in-state, two- or four-year colleges in Wisconsin. Ascendium provided up to $31 million to fund the grant and, as the main program administrator, sent regular letters to remind students about the program and its requirements. The organization also worked with school counselors to support students becoming eligible for the funds and preparing for college.

TDP was announced to students in the fall of 2011. Using anonymized data, we then tracked students’ high school, college, and life outcomes for eight years, and we recently received data extending through when students were roughly 22 years old. As a rare randomized trial, we could estimate the effects by comparing the control and treatment group outcomes. Here is what we found:

• For students who met the performance requirements, the program increased graduation from two-year colleges by 3 percentage points . This might seem small, but the denominator here is comprised of low-income 9 th graders. Half of the control group did not even graduate from high school, let alone college. The effect amounts to a 25% increase in two-year degrees.
• The framing and design of the program as free two-year college changed student decisions in ways consistent with what free college advocates suggest. The $12,000 maximum award amount was selected because it was sufficient to cover tuition and fees for a two-year college degree. The fact that TDP made two-year college free, but only reduced the cost of four-year college, was clearly communicated to students. This appears to explain one of our main results: Student enrollments shifted from four-year to two-year colleges. This is noteworthy given that students could use the funds at either two- or four-year colleges. In fact, students likely would have been able to use more of the $12,000 if they had shifted to four-year colleges. The only plausible reason for shifting to two-year colleges is that they were really attracted to the idea of free college.
• The “early commitment” nature of the program had some modest positive effects on some high school outcomes . Students learned about TDP in their 9 th grade year, giving them time to change their high school behaviors and college plans. Although it did not improve high school academic achievement, we find that TDP increased college expectations and the steps students took to prepare for college. TDP recipients also reported working harder because of the program (even though this did not show up in the academic measures). This highlights the fact that free college might also help address not only college-going rates, but the long-term stagnancy in high school outcomes.
• The merit requirements undermined the program’s effectiveness . Though the 2.5 GPA and 90% attendance and other requirements were arguably modest, only 21% of eligible students ended up meeting them. So, they ended up excluding many students. We also tested the two main ways that the merit requirements could have been helpful: (a) merit requirements might provide incentives for students to work hard during high school and better prepare for college, and (b) merit requirements might target aid to students who respond to it most. We find no evidence of either benefit. While students did work harder (see point [3] above), this appears to be due to other elements of the program, not the merit requirements.

Overall, these results suggest that aid is most effective when it is “open access”—that is, aid with early commitment and free college framing, but no merit requirements.

What about the evidence beyond Milwaukee?

Our study also reviews other research on financial aid, including federal aid, state merit aid programs, and the newer “promise scholarship” programs that mimic free college. Our study is not alone in finding that financial aid improves student outcomes. In fact, the vast majority of the most rigorous studies find positive effects on college attendance and college graduation. Given the strong average benefits of college, we can expect follow-up studies to show effects on employment earnings, voting, and other outcomes.

What about the costs? Open access aid is more expensive to be sure. More students receive aid and the aid levels per students are larger than traditional financial aid. Is it worth it? Our analysis suggests it is. We carried out new cost-benefit analyses of multiple programs, including TDP, but also other actively studied programs in: Kalamazoo, Michigan; Knox County, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and one statewide program in Nebraska. We also used estimates of the average effects of aid taken from prior literature reviews. All of these programs pass a cost-benefit test. That is, the effects on college outcomes, and the effects of college outcomes on future earnings, is much larger than the cost to the government and society as a whole. Moreover, it appears that benefits-per-dollar-of-cost are at least as high with open access aid as with more restricted programs. This means that open access aid provides greater total benefits to the community as a whole.

Back to the Free College Proposals

What do these results mean for President Biden’s and CP’s proposals? The table below provides a side-by-side comparison. The main difference is the level of detail. This reflects that the CP plan was designed to align with, and flesh out, the Biden campaign proposal. Perhaps the only substantive difference is that the CP proposal (and the Milwaukee program) includes private colleges. The Biden campaign documents exclude private colleges, though the American Families Plan just says “free community college,” signaling alignment with the CP plan. Both proposals are clearly in the category of open access aid.

There are numerous similarities between these provisions and the Milwaukee program that my team and I studied. All three programs make two-year college free (or nearly so) for all students without income requirements and through early commitment of aid. All three require the FAFSA and high school graduation. Importantly, unlike both the Biden and CP proposals, the Milwaukee program had merit requirements, which undermined its success. This is partly why our evidence is so relevant to the current debate.

Some might wonder why the president has scaled back the proposal to just free community college. This reflects that the idea of free college—even the “scaled back” version—is such a marked departure from past policy, especially at the federal level. Free community college alone would still be arguably the largest shift in federal higher education policy in the past half-century.

Caveats and Concluding Thoughts

We cannot make policy from evidence alone, but it can and should play a key role. Sometimes, policy ideas have such limited evidence of effectiveness that it is difficult to make any plausible case for a large-scale, national program. In other cases, there is enough promise for pilot studies and competitive grants to establish efficacy. With free college, we seem to be well beyond that point. In addition to decades of results on general financial aid programs, we have a growing number of studies on state and local programs that all show positive evidence—the “laboratory of democracy” at work. The idea of a large, federal free-college program therefore has more and more credibility.

A decade ago, it was not at all obvious that this is what the evidence would show. There was really no evidence on free college programs when we started this project back in 2009. Also, there were good reasons to expect that such a large increase in aid would suffer from “diminishing returns”—the idea that the next dollar is less effective than the previous one. This could have made free college more costly than the benefits could justify. Now, we know better.

I do still worry a bit about other factors and challenges. For example, the above analyses can only capture the immediate effects of financial aid, yet a federal free college program is such a marked departure in policy that it could alter political and market forces operating on higher education in unpredictable ways, perhaps even lowering college spending and quality. Also, if the proposal remains focused on community colleges, then this will shift students out of four-year colleges and into colleges that currently have very low completion rates. There are also other ways to increase college affordability and access that do not require free college (e.g., increased Pell Grants and income-based loan repayment), some of which target funds more narrowly to the most disadvantaged students. And there are many details to be worked out as the president’s allies in Congress try to generate sufficient support without (a) sacrificing core principles, or (b) creating new problems that can arise when grafting new federal programs on to widely varying state contexts.

Still, it is not often that an idea comes around that addresses a widely acknowledged problem and has both research support and a fair degree of bipartisan political support. The stars seem aligned to make some form of national free college a reality. The more evidence we see, the more that would seem to be a step forward.

Related Content

Douglas N. Harris, Raquel Farmer-Hinton, Debbie Kim, John B. Diamond, Tangela Blakely Reavis, Kelly Krupa Rifelj, Hilary Lustick, Bradley R. Carl

September 20, 2018

Louis Serino

October 2, 2018

Education Access & Equity Education Policy Higher Education

Governance Studies

Brown Center on Education Policy

Sarah Reber, Gabriela Goodman

March 12, 2024

Dick Startz

February 29, 2024

Zsófia L. Bárány, Pauline Corblet, Moshe Buchinsky

February 26, 2024

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved March 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/argumentative-essay/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, how to write an expository essay, what is your plagiarism score.

• IELTS Scores
• Life Skills Test
• Find a Test Centre
• Find Student Housing
• General Training
• Academic Word List
• Topic Vocabulary
• Collocation
• Phrasal Verbs
• Writing eBooks
• Reading eBook
• All eBooks & Courses
• Sample Essays
• University Essay

IELTS Free University Education Essay

The issue of free university education is an essay topic that comes up in the IELTS test. This essay therefore provides you with some of the key arguments about this topic.

The essay is an agree / disagree essay , which means you are given one opinion and then asked if you agree with it or not.

So remember to make it clear in your essay which side you are on.

University education should be free to everyone, regardless of income.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Choosing a Side

Of course you don't have to firmly come down on one side - you could partly agree if there are some aspects of the arguments you agree with but some parts you disagree with.

In this essay, the writer believes free university education is the best policy, so s/he agrees with the opinion. This is made clear in the conclusion (though you can put your opinion in the introduction as well if you wish).

The writer presents both sides of the argument . This is a good idea as you may find it more difficult to come up with a lot of ideas for one side of an argument. It also shows you are able to see both sides of the argument - a good academic skill.

Free University Education Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Over recent years, more and more people have been attending university and arguments have persisted as to whether students should pay for this privilege not. Although there are convincing arguments on both sides, I strongly believe that it should be free.

One argument put forward in favour of charging students is that education is becoming more expensive to fund as universities grow in size. Consequently, making students pay may maintain standards and ensure the quality of the teaching. In addition, it is argued that most students benefit from university in terms of higher paid jobs, so it is fair that they pay for at least some of the cost, especially given that the majority of students attending university are from the middle classes. Last but not least, in many countries, there is a shortage of people to do manual jobs such as plumbing and carpentry, so making university more expensive may encourage people to take up these jobs.

However, there are a number of arguments in favour of making university education free for all. Firstly, it will encourage more people to attend and this will benefit society. This is because it will lead to a more productive and educated workforce. Research has generally shown that those countries that have a better educated population via university have higher levels of innovation and productivity. In addition, there is the issue of equality of opportunity. If all students are required to pay, those on a low income may be dissuaded from attending, thus making it unfair. The reason for this is that they will likely not be able to secure financial support from their family so they will be concerned about the debts they will incur in the future.

In conclusion, I am of opinion that all education should remain equally available to all regardless of income. This is not only fair, but will also ensure that countries can prosper and develop into the future with a well-educated workforce.

<<< Back

Next >>>

More Agree / Disagree Essays:

Internet vs Newspaper Essay: Which will be the best source of news?

A recent topic to write about in the IELTS exam was an Internet vs Newspaper Essay. The question was: Although more and more people read news on the internet, newspapers will remain the most important source of news. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Multinational Organisations and Culture Essay

Multinational Organisations and Culture Essay: Improve you score for IELTS Essay writing by studying model essays. This Essay is about the extent to which working for a multinational organisation help you to understand other cultures.

IELTS Vegetarianism Essay: Should we all be vegetarian to be healthy?

Vegetarianism Essay for IELTS: In this vegetarianism essay, the candidate disagrees with the statement, and is thus arguing that everyone does not need to be a vegetarian.

Ban Smoking in Public Places Essay: Should the government ban it?

Ban smoking in public places essay: The sample answer shows you how you can present the opposing argument first, that is not your opinion, and then present your opinion in the following paragraph.

Return of Historical Objects and Artefacts Essay

This essay discusses the topic of returning historical objects and artefacts to their country of origin. It's an agree/disagree type IELTS question.

Essay for IELTS: Are some advertising methods unethical?

This is an agree / disagree type question. Your options are: 1. Agree 100% 2. Disagree 100% 3. Partly agree. In the answer below, the writer agrees 100% with the opinion. There is an analysis of the answer.

Scientific Research Essay: Who should be responsible for its funding?

Scientific research essay model answer for Task 2 of the test. For this essay, you need to discuss whether the funding and controlling of scientific research should be the responsibility of the government or private organizations.

Paying Taxes Essay: Should people keep all the money they earn?

Paying Taxes Essay: Read model essays to help you improve your IELTS Writing Score for Task 2. In this essay you have to decide whether you agree or disagree with the opinion that everyone should be able to keep their money rather than paying money to the government.

Role of Schools Essay: How should schools help children develop?

This role of schools essay for IELTS is an agree disagree type essay where you have to discuss how schools should help children to develop.

Examinations Essay: Formal Examinations or Continual Assessment?

Examinations Essay: This IELTS model essay deals with the issue of whether it is better to have formal examinations to assess student’s performance or continual assessment during term time such as course work and projects.

Truthfulness in Relationships Essay: How important is it?

This truthfulness in relationships essay for IELTS is an agree / disagree type essay. You need to decide if it's the most important factor.

Human Cloning Essay: Should we be scared of cloning humans?

Human cloning essay - this is on the topic of cloning humans to use their body parts. You are asked if you agree with human cloning to use their body parts, and what reservations (concerns) you have.

Employing Older People Essay: Is the modern workplace suitable?

Employing Older People Essay. Examine model essays for IELTS Task 2 to improve your score. This essay tackles the issue of whether it it better for employers to hire younger staff rather than those who are older.

Dying Languages Essay: Is a world with fewer languages a good thing?

Dying languages essays have appeared in IELTS on several occasions, an issue related to the spread of globalisation. Check out a sample question and model answer.

Technology Development Essay: Are earlier developments the best?

This technology development essay shows you a complex IELTS essay question that is easily misunderstood. There are tips on how to approach IELTS essay questions

Sample IELTS Writing: Is spending on the Arts a waste of money?

Sample IELTS Writing: A common topic in IELTS is whether you think it is a good idea for government money to be spent on the arts. i.e. the visual arts, literary and the performing arts, or whether it should be spent elsewhere, usually on other public services.

Extinction of Animals Essay: Should we prevent this from happening?

In this extinction of animals essay for IELTS you have to decide whether you think humans should do what they can to prevent the extinction of animal species.

IELTS Sample Essay: Is alternative medicine ineffective & dangerous?

IELTS sample essay about alternative and conventional medicine - this shows you how to present a well-balanced argument. When you are asked whether you agree (or disagree), you can look at both sides of the argument if you want.

IELTS Internet Essay: Is the internet damaging social interaction?

Internet Essay for IELTS on the topic of the Internet and social interaction. Included is a model answer. The IELTS test usually focuses on topical issues. You have to discuss if you think that the Internet is damaging social interaction.

Airline Tax Essay: Would taxing air travel reduce pollution?

Airline Tax Essay for IELTS. Practice an agree and disagree essay on the topic of taxing airlines to reduce low-cost air traffic. You are asked to decide if you agree or disagree with taxing airlines in order to reduce the problems caused.

Any comments or questions about this page or about IELTS? Post them here. Your email will not be published or shared.

Before you go...

Check out the ielts buddy band 7+ ebooks & courses.

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Band 7+ eBooks

"I think these eBooks are FANTASTIC!!! I know that's not academic language, but it's the truth!"

Linda, from Italy, Scored Band 7.5

IELTS Modules:

Other resources:.

• All Lessons
• Band Score Calculator
• Writing Feedback
• Speaking Feedback
• Teacher Resources
• Free Downloads
• Recent Essay Exam Questions
• Books for IELTS Prep
• Student Housing
• Useful Links

Recent Articles

Common Questions about the IELTS Speaking Test

Mar 09, 24 05:28 AM

IELTS Computer Delivered Practice Tests Plus Band Score

Mar 01, 24 02:38 AM

History and Heritage Vocabulary for IELTS

Feb 29, 24 10:00 AM

Important pages

IELTS Writing IELTS Speaking IELTS Listening   IELTS Reading All Lessons Vocabulary Academic Task 1 Academic Task 2 Practice Tests

Connect with us

Copyright © 2022- IELTSbuddy All Rights Reserved

IELTS is a registered trademark of University of Cambridge, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia. This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, and IDP Education Australia.

• Essay Samples
• College Essay
• Writing Tools
• Writing guide

↑ Return to College Essay

Education Should Be Free for Everyone

In my argumentative essay, I discuss the ethical side of having a free education system. I discuss the positive sides and the negative sides of free education, and I focus mostly on having free higher education since we already have free education up to High School graduation levels. I conclude with a discussion about the actions of colleges and Universities and how they would inevitably make the ethical discussion mute from a student’s perceptive since the burden of ethics would fall upon higher education institutions in a world where they are given plenty of incentive to act immorally.

From an ethical perspective, it seems unfair that people who have less money are going to miss more opportunities. Ethically, opportunities should be open for all people. Though it may be true that the availability of an opportunity shouldn’t guarantee that a person receives that opportunity, the opportunity shouldn’t be ruled out. For example, all people should be able to become qualified to work in air traffic control, and even though a blind person is hardly guaranteed such a job position, the opportunity shouldn’t be ruled out as a default. Free education, especially free higher education, may open up a series of opportunities that some people would otherwise be unable to enjoy, and even if those opportunities are not guaranteed, they shouldn’t be ruled out by default, which is what happens when some people cannot use higher education for financial reasons. (Flood, 2014)

Some people are going to use free education as a way of getting out of work and as a way of doing nothing with their lives. Students up to the final year in High School are unable to get full-time jobs and live independently on their wages, which is why their education should be free. However, when a person is able to get a full-time job and live independently, he or she may get out of working by living on the education system. Even if the qualifications are free and not the living expenses, a person may still claim a slew of benefits and receive no incentive to ever get a job because he or she remains in the education system for years and years. (Gritz, 2010)

If all forms of education are free for students, then it becomes very easy for a person to waste his or her life on meaningless education. The decision to get into thousands upon thousands of dollars of debt in order to pursue a career should be agonizing and very difficult so as to make the student think long and hard about the decision. If all education is free, then less thought is required, and students may waste years of their life studying for qualifications that they do not need or even want. (Kamenetz, 2016)

If a student is genuinely looking for higher education and is not looking for a reason to do nothing and mess around for years by exploiting other people’s tax money through free education, then such a person may enjoy a longer education process. For example, a student taking a series of law qualifications is going to need five to seven years of education, which is also very expensive. If the cost of the qualification were removed, such a person may be able to take up jobs on an intermittent basis, stretch out his or her qualification duration, and take longer to gain said qualifications in a more comfortable manner. Instead of having to spend years as a low-income student while building debt, such a student may spend longer on a qualification and work while studying so that he or she may enjoy a more comfortable education experience. Plus, all of this would occur who the pressure of accumulating student debt. (The Leadership Institute, 2018)

Despite the ethical upsides and downsides that come with free education for students, it is sadly the Universities and colleges that will spoil it. These days, student loans are very easy to get, and this has resulted in colleges and Universities putting their prices up to almost scandalous levels, and it has resulted in colleges and Universities creating courses that add no real value for people wishing to join the workforce. If colleges and Universities were being fully funded by tax dollars, they would encourage students to join with a whole host of silly and frivolous programs because the quality of education would no longer matter or apply. (Fox, 2006).

Bibliography

Flood, Alison. “US students request ‘trigger warnings’ on literature.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 May 2014, www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/19/us-students-request-trigger-warnings-in-literature.

Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/story/2006/09/01/why-does-college-cost-so-much-and-is-it-worth-it.html 2006

Gritz, Jennie Rothenberg. “What’s Wrong with the American University System.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 28 July 2010, www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2010/07/whats-wrong-with-the-american-university-system/60458/.

Kamenetz, Anya. “How College Aid Is Like A Bad Coupon.” NPR, NPR, 17 Sept. 2016, www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/17/492973995/how-college-aid-is-like-a-bad-coupon.

The Leadership Institute. “Why are colleges so liberal?” Leadership Institute, www.leadershipinstitute.org/crazycolleges/. 2018

Follow Us on Social Media

Get more free essays

Send via email

Most useful resources for students:.

• Free Essays Download
• Writing Tools List
• Proofreading Services
• Universities Rating

Contributors Bio

Find more useful services for students

Free plagiarism check, professional editing, online tutoring, free grammar check.

Home / Essay Samples / Education / American Education System / Free Education: Arguments For and Against This Reform

Free Education: Arguments For and Against This Reform

• Category: Education , Life
• Topic: American Education System , Cost of Education , Education System

Pages: 2 (859 words)

• Downloads: -->

Introduction

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

College Education Essays

Teaching Philosophy Essays

Scholarship Essays

Special Education Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service  and  Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->