Here's Exactly How Much the Government Would Have to Spend to Make US Public Colleges Tuition-Free

[Jhoon]

They want an educated population, not an over educated population.

one can only be over educated against proud undereducated populace.

 

[Brown_Pride]

that's so damn sad that it's fiscally feasible for this to even be possible. How much do we spend a year putting guns into the hands of 18-28 year old American kids and then teaching how to kill? If we prioritized putting a #2 pencil in their hands and giving them an education imagine where this country would be.

 

[Blackking]

I'm sure, if we had a choice between new water sources and educational materials costing 570 Million in a foreign nation.... or 8 Billion to attack the nation and fund the military of our allies in the region - We would chose the latter because our decisions aren't based on Morals or best long term outcome. It's based on agenda and profit.

same with drug wars.

same with our own education.

It's how we do business(politics).

 

[DEAD7]

Its amazing how govt. can present something, tell the public it will cost [insert dollar amount] and have the public go "oh thats it", "oh wow that's cheap, lets do it".
Its as if their estimates have always proven to be accurate When they have never ever been accurate.

For the life of me, I cant understand where this blind trust in govt. comes from.

 

[ill]

Even if it cost $100 billion, its worth it. Some of the DoD budget needs to be re-allocated to the DoE. Americas schools are falling very far behind our competition. Foreigners are using our education systems to bring back knowledge to their home countries. We need to educate our people and keep them here.

 

[DEAD7]

Even if it cost $100 billion, its worth it. Some of the DoD budget needs to be re-allocated to the DoE. Americas schools are falling very far behind our competition. Foreigners are using our education systems to bring back knowledge to their home countries. We need to educate our people and keep them here.

It will cost much more than that.
The real question here is how much is too much? and what will be the non-monetary cost?

 

[ill]

It will cost much more than that.
The real question here is how much is too much? and what will be the non-monetary cost?

The current DoED budget is $70 billion. Add in $60 billion for college and we're at 130. To really fix the situation I think it needs to be more like $200 billion. Its an investment that will pay for itself 15 years down the road.

 

[DEAD7]

The current DoED budget is $70 billion. Add in $60 billion for college and we're at 130. To really fix the situation I think it needs to be more like $200 billion. Its an investment that will pay for itself 15 years down the road.

A mere $62.6 billion dollars!

According to new Department of Education data, that's how much tuition public colleges collected from undergraduates in 2012 across the entire United States.

1-This only accounts for the number of students attending public colleges in 2012... by making it free, we should expect to see the number of people enrolling in college triple, maybe even quadruple.

2-Guaranteed govt. money will spur a rise tuition cost, and the increased number of students attending will bring along its own set of cost increases.

3-A large percentage(59%) of students who enroll in college dont graduate... Those tuition fees, would just be ate by tax payers, making the initiative extremely wasteful. Imagine a private company seeing that kind of return on investment

4- It doesnt address the issue of tenure, and sh*tty teachers in general.



edit: 59% dont graduate taking on debt and/or paying out of pocket... what do you think will happen to that % if education becomes free?

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

A mere $62.6 billion dollars!

According to new Department of Education data, that's how much tuition public colleges collected from undergraduates in 2012 across the entire United States.

1-This only accounts for the number of students attending public colleges in 2012... by making it free, we should expect to see the number of people enrolling in college triple, maybe even quadruple.

2-Guaranteed govt. money will spur a rise tuition cost, and the increased number of students attending will bring along its own set of cost increases.

3-A large percentage(59%) of students who enroll in college dont graduate... Those tuition fees, would just be ate by tax payers, making the initiative extremely wasteful. Imagine a private company seeing that kind of return on investment

4- It doesnt address the issue of tenure, and sh*tty teachers in general.


edit: 59% dont graduate taking on debt and/or paying out of pocket... what do you think will happen to that % if education becomes free?

you do raise some valid points but a lot of other countries make it work why can't we?

 

[Yapdatfool]

you do raise some valid points but a lot of other countries make it work why can't we?

That's the point, other countries make it work, which is why we never will attempt to try it.

 

[DEAD7]

you do raise some valid points but a lot of other countries make it work why can't we?

Off the top of my head they probably are not putting any money towards ruling the world

But seriously,
Size (social safety nets, and public services in general perform better the smaller the populace)
Political make up (Initiatives passable there are not tenable here)
Ethnic and racial composition <--- a big one many people underestimate
Obligations (both real and fake)
Defense spending (many of the nations making it work, do so under our blanket of protection)
Liberty (socialism is necessarily anti liberty, hence its association with being anti american)

Out of curiosity though, what nations are prospering while offering free education?

 

[Domingo Halliburton]

Off the top of my head they probably are not putting any money towards ruling the world

But seriously,
Size (social safety nets, and public services in general perform better the smaller the populace)
Political make up (Initiatives passable there are not tenable here)
Ethnic and racial composition <--- a big one many people underestimate
Obligations (both real and fake)
Defense spending (many of the nations making it work, do so under our blanket of protection)
Liberty (socialism is necessarily anti liberty, hence its association with being anti american)

Out of curiosity though, what nations are prospering while offering free education?

obviously it's not free as in taxes pay for it. the first ones that come to mind are scandinavian countries. now whether they are prospering by your definition is another debate.

edit: and I think the least we could do is get some caps on tuition. if the government is just going to loan to anyone why would these schools not raise prices?

 

[ill]

If the govt funds public college for all, I think tuition goes down rather than up. Tuition rates tend to rise when the private schools raise rates and the public institutions see that they can get away with charging more. If public college is opened up for free, it will lessen the amount of people going to private colleges thus forcing them to lower their rates to remain competitive.

 

[DEAD7]

If the govt funds public college for all, I think tuition goes down rather than up. Tuition rates tend to rise when the private schools raise rates and the public institutions see that they can get away with charging more. If public college is opened up for free, it will lessen the amount of people going to private colleges thus forcing them to lower their rates to remain competitive.

edit: Private colleges would raise cost because they can. Rich cacs will want there children to go to prestigious colleges, to obtain degrees that have actual value.
Free college educations reduces the degree earned there to a high school diploma in many ways.

 

[Jhoon]

If the govt funds public college for all, I think tuition goes down rather than up. Tuition rates tend to rise when the private schools raise rates and the public institutions see that they can get away with charging more. If public college is opened up for free, it will lessen the amount of people going to private colleges thus forcing them to lower their rates to remain competitive.

you are absolutely correct. that guy who types in blue is an idiot.