Yes, and that is the main problem.
If college becomes free, students who are not college material will find a college that will admit them because the college will be paid by the government. It is in the college’s interest to not fail them. Talk about perverse incentives.
One “free college” idea I would support is a modified version of the Texas admission plan. My thoughts are that you can go to college for free if you are:
A) In the top 10% locally (by school, town, county, etc.), OR
B) In the top 10% nationally.
The point of A is to make it politically palatable by ensuring that every demographic group can be represented, including inner city school systems with lower performance. The point of B is to ensure that high performing school systems don’t get penalized.