7/28/2019 (9) Sample Opinion Essay Pjj (1)

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COLLEGE EDUCATION SHOULD NOT BE FREE

Colleges that charge no tuition fees for education seem like an ideal solution for student.

While they do not exist in most parts of the world some European countries still offer free tertiary

education. However, in my opinion this model has major disadvantages for students,

universities and the public. I would therefore believe that college education should not be made

free for students because of several reasons.

Firstly, my main point in arguing against free education is that the general public is made

to pay for the costs of higher education. A degree profits an individual during their entire working

life through a higher salary. Having people pay for students who choose not to not attend

university seems unfair. Students may take for granted the education that they are getting if its

free. According to Garcia (2012), people sometimes would not value something that they did not

pay for. Hence, tax money should be spent in a way that profits the public, not just individuals.

Next, free colleges and universities may experience poor funding and this may be

related to the quality and range of the programs offered. With poor funding universities struggle

to attract qualified professors, equip laboratories, computer labs and others. According to Ferreri

(2012), the funds that universities and colleges received are very much dependent on the

institutions performance. If education is being made accessible to students who are not keen in

their studies, the institutions credibility may be at stake. Also, in a tuition-free education system

there may be little competition between universities as they do not aim to attract more or better

students.

Lastly, it can be argued that students profit most from not having to pay tuition. This view

can be shortsighted as colleges which offer free courses have little motivation to improve the

quality of education that they offer. Also, students have little influence when complaining about

poor quality or outdated education and equipment. Colleges have no motivation to listen to their

complaints as students leaving do not affect their financial situation. Additionally, it is human

nature to value free resources and not treat them with great care. In a free education system,

the students have little pressure and sometimes little support from the college to finish their

education in a timely manner. This is supported by Gunn (2012), Young people grow and

mature through toil and struggle. They develop self-confidence by facing a difficult and

expensive challenge and finding a way to conquer it. If students do not feel the hardship ofearning a degree, consequently, some students spend years in college.

In conclusion, for all these reasons I believe paying tuition for higher education is a

better and more just solution than the public paying for universities. On top of being a fair

system, it is most likely to improve the quality of education offerings in the long run.

7/28/2019 (9) Sample Opinion Essay Pjj (1)

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REFERENCES

Ferreri, Eric (2012). Reshaping a state: Less funds for college educations. NewsObserver.com.Retrieved November 1, 2012, from

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198562/a-college-education-may-get-further.html

Garcia, Alex (2012). Free college wont solve our education crisis. Fox News Latino. RetrievedNovember 1, 2012, from http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/04/15/free-college-wont-solve-our-education-crisis/

Gunn, Steve (2012). Free college tuition is not the answer, lower college tuition is. TheMuskegon Chronicle. Retrieved November 1, 2012, from

http://www.mlive.com/opinion/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/03/steve_gunn_6.html

REMINDER (Please read carefully) :

1) The essay you are to write should be an OPINION ESSAY. It should NOT be a

FACTUAL or an INFORMATIVE essay.

Eg. Smoking is hazardous to our health, Causes and effects of Landslides etc. (Not

acceptable)

Your topic should be arguable and your essay is to justify your opinions on a certain

issue.

Also, avoid discussing on sensitive issues such as politics and religion.

2) Support your claims with references from other sources (books, magazines,

newspapers, online articles, etc), and list your references. Please refer to the APA

referencing guidelines. (You can refer to the notes: APA Referencing Guidelines). You

should include at least three (3) references.

3) WARNING: DO NOT COPYPASTE your work from other sources. PLAGIARISM if

detected can result in failure for the course. Always provide citations for the

supports/claims you have made.

4) This writing assignment is to be done in a group of two (2). It is not an individual task

(unless in cases where it could not be avoided).

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198562/a-college-education-may-get-further.htmlhttp://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198562/a-college-education-may-get-further.htmlhttp://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/04/15/free-college-wont-solve-our-education-crisis/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/04/15/free-college-wont-solve-our-education-crisis/http://www.mlive.com/opinion/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/03/steve_gunn_6.htmlhttp://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198562/a-college-education-may-get-further.htmlhttp://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198562/a-college-education-may-get-further.htmlhttp://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/04/15/free-college-wont-solve-our-education-crisis/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/04/15/free-college-wont-solve-our-education-crisis/http://www.mlive.com/opinion/muskegon/index.ssf/2012/03/steve_gunn_6.html