Thoughts on the Free College Movement

Here are some of my thoughts about the recent movement about free college.  Some students want to be forgiven for all student loan debt, free tuition and a very high minimum wage.  While I also feel like college is expensive, I also do NOT feel like it should be free.

I don't think it should be free because everything that is meaningful in life comes with a sacrifice. You can't make it back to heaven making bad choices.  You must have faith in Jesus Christ, be baptized, repent and endure to the end.  There are no short cuts on the path to eternal life.  If you want a family, you must sacrifice personal time, time with friends and that can be a lot for some people.  The people who make the choice to have a family believe that kids are worth everything that is given up.

I also do not believe that college should be free because once it is, it will be worth no more than a high school diploma is now.  If I am an employer, a college degree would not longer mean a potential employee is worth as much as right now.  I know I expect every one to have a degree and if someone doesn't, it would be easy to pass up those who don't.  It dilutes the pool of those who have WORKED for their degree.

I am 24, have a full time and part time job, have a wife and daughter, and have NO STUDENT LOANS!!!!  I don't feel like going into debt is even an option.  I receive financial aid, which I think is a good thing, but have worked and saved for the rest.  I have paid cash for all my 90+ college credits.
There is no real secret as to how I have done this.  I have worked nights, days, afternoons, and help 2 jobs most of the past 4 years.  I have worked as many as 70+ hours some weeks, all in an effort to pay for college.  My hope is that I will be able to graduate next spring or summer, and then be prepared enough to handle a job that makes a lot more money than I am making now.

I recently switched jobs, and the job I was hired for was difficult.  I had never done anything like it before, so I struggled.  Luckily, there was a position in a different department that I had done well at in the past, so I got hired there.  It was a learning experience for me.  It taught me that I have to work to get better at some things in order to make the kind of money I want to to be able to support a family long term.  The jobs I have now pays better than I had been making, but $10.50 an hour will not support a family for very long.

When I saw this free college movement, I couldn't help but think that those who support this are people who would be willing to accept communism or socialism, because in those societies the government provides everything for its citizens.  I do not want college to be free, and I don't think college is for everyone.  I do feel like you should have to sacrifice in order to obtain a college degree, not whine about it until others feel sorry for you and pay for yours.  I have had to earn what I have gotten thus far by hard work.  Maybe those who want free college should spend their time working instead of whining.