<p>Yes it should be a right and mandatory! Just like high school.</p>
<p>No it should not be a right.</p>
<p>No, it should not be a right. Just like being successful isn’t a right. Work hard. That’s you’re right as an American citizen. Work hard, and you’ll do finely.</p>
<p>The original suggestion was: " I think college should be a right for each and everyone of us."</p>
<p>I propose a new alternative: “College should be a right for the most qualified x% of students interested in attending college.” </p>
<p>Having offered up this alternative, I believe it has already happened to a large extent. The best schools are clearly reaching out with need blind admissions and no loan financial aid packages. While maybe not as obvious or extensive is the number of colleges at all levels that are trying to do this (as you can read in the forums here at CC).</p>
<p>“Wanting” to go to college is a necessary prerequisite but it isn’t the only one. Now we can all agree of what “most qualified” means.</p>
<p>I support the modified suggestion. I would also concur that it has already been put into effect to a satisfactory extent.</p>
<p>In answer to your question, someone posted something to the effect that the more education a country has, the better country that country will necessarily be.</p>
<p>
As in it will be better off, rather than had it not been so educated. Can you say that Germany would have been better off and Hitler would not have risen, if the German people were less educated?</p>
<p>Though I am still waiting on a source.</p>
<p>I know that my step-sister didn’t care for **** when she was in high-school; when she went to college and paid for herself, she tried her hardest.</p>
<p>Dont go to college if you don’t have the faith to overcome the debt, everyone pays it off, is it inconvienient? Yes. Is it more inconvienient to not have a degree? Yes.</p>
<p>No I don’t think so because some people don’t care about school. Like they really don’t care and I think if they don’t care, don’t make them go to collage and suck at it! Lear them sit at home! It would he nice if it was a little cheaper but that’s just our world today.</p>
<p>If college were a “right” and just any moron could get in, I would hate life. xD I’m so glad that that’s not the case!</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>K-12 education should be a universal right and the government should make it available to everyone free of charge at the point of service. A college education however should be conditioned on academic merit and interest. Basically, not everyone in our society is qualified for a post-HS education or interested in pursuing one. Besides, there wouldn’t be enough demand in the economy for college graduates and college-level occupations if every HS graduate also graduated from college.</p>
<p>The biggest problem in the US IMHO is that we have a “one-size-fit-all” comprehensive (i.e. generalist) High School model that is focused on preparation for college, but caters to all types of students, including those who, realistically, are not well-suited for a college education. Instead, we should encourage alternative secondary school models based on technical/vocational training and apprenticeships, along the lines for example of Germany where, incidentally, the percentage of the adult population that goes to college is much lower than in the US. The traditional High School, perhaps with greater subject specialization and more depth in curriculum (e.g. compulsory AP courses) would be left then for the more academically gifted students who are genuinely interested in pursuing a college track.</p>
<p>A ** different ** question, which I believe is what the OP had in mind, is whether a college education, even with non-universal, selective admissions, should be tuition-free or not. </p>
<p>Even in high-tax countries, most studies indicate that the tuition-free model is not scalable and that the system tends to collapse as the enrollment numbers increase. We have seen that trend lately in many European countries where tuition fees are now being slowly introduced in public universities, even though they remain ridiculously low by U.S standards. </p>
<p>In the UK, the transition from a state-funded, tuition-free university system to a US-like model where the burden of financing a college education is shifted to students and their families is somewhat more advanced than in France or Germany for example, as the government cap on tuition fees for domestic students has been going up, first from 1,110 pounds/year to 3,000 pounds/year and, starting in 2012, to 9,000 pounds/year with annual adjustment according to inflation. Simultaneously, as domestic tuition fees rise, the British government has been cutting the block grants that were previously given to the universities to fund undergraduate teaching and courses. Most analysts interpret that as recognition on the part of the British government that the 100 % state-funded model is not viable and needs to be reformed in order to maintain quality standards.</p>
<p>@bruno123 </p>
<p>I am in full agreement with you. Of course, there are a host of underlying barriers. Is “matching” the same as “tracking?” IMO, yes and neither is a bad thing. We need to allocate scarce resources in ways that are the most beneficial to all students. Disproportionate allocation (e.g., no child left behind) may satisfy values that many of us share in our hearts but these approaches are not what will bring the overall performance of the US educational system to a higher level. All students are not and will never be the same. We need to provide meaningful, effective alternatives.</p>
<p>In case no has noticed, the government is ALREADY bankrupt. </p>
<p>There are decent alternatives for people without big money, which, by the way, includes me and my kid.</p>
<p>State universities and community college. </p>
<p>The tuition at University of Florida and Florida State, for example, is very low. And many colleges already give out significant financial aid. Also LSU, Oklahoma, and some others.</p>
<p>I recently saw a news article that some welfare program was giving everyone free cell phones, and free cell phone service.</p>
<p>Free is not really free. SOMEONE has to pay for all of this.</p>
<p>I do, however, believe that kids from poor families who have demonstrated significant talent should get generous financial aid. However, this is not a “right”, but rather, a public policy decision. All these “rights” is slowing turning America into another Greece.</p>
<p>that would be ridiculously awesome, but then you have ti remember those slackers and dbags that will go ti colege to just have fun, get drunk, and waste money, which i think is why you have to pay for it and if you really want to go youll find a way (legal hopefully) and some scholarships.</p>
<p>College should not be a right. K-12 is a right. It gives you a foundation. You can get a job with a K-12 education. If you’ve got motivation and ability, you can get a job. You don’t need a degree. A degree just makes people look at you faster. But if you’re good, people’ll see. </p>
<p>If you’re motivated, you can get into a good college with scholarships, whether need or merit-based. Or you can go to community college, which is much more affordable. If you really, truly want to go to college, go right ahead. People with degrees have worked to get them, and some have gotten past ridiculous circumstances to earn it. College is an achievement, not a giveaway.</p>
<p>The solution to this dilemma is not simple. We must ask ourselves: To what extent is hard work going to get you where you want to go? The financial crisis has raised this question over and over. You can work hard and you can do all the right things but there are certain elements beyond your control or in someone else’s control that can lead you to failure. It is in those instance that perhaps welcoming government relief and help is most needed. </p>
<p>The same occurs with college. You can work hard during your K-12 years but nothing gives you the certainty that you will go to college even though you work hard. This is perhaps where those who claim that college should be a right have a valid point. To what extent are we willing to accept hard work as the defining factor in success?</p>
<p>What should the Mickey D cashiers major in?</p>
<p>And the janitors? And bus drivers?</p>
<p>Then the post-doc becomes the new undergrad degree.</p>
<p>Yes of course. Bachelors degree is the minimum qualification for securing a good job and being qualified for getting promotions. There are financial aids to help students.</p>