Question
Unit 12 Argumentative/Persuasive Essay
Should Community Colleges Be Free?
President Barack Obama proposed free community college. Some people hailed this as a wonderful idea while others felt that it will hurt not help community colleges and the students that attend them.
Weigh both sides of the claim, then write an argumentative essay supporting either side of whether or not community colleges should be free. Be sure to use information from both texts in your essay.
Before you begin planning and writing, read the two texts (texts are pasted below):
1. Free Tuition Is a Needless Windfall for Affluent Voters and State Institutions
2. Tennessee Is Showing How Free Tuition Community College Works
As you read the texts, think about which details you might use in your essay. Take notes on the details as you read.
After reading the two texts, create a plan for writing your essay. Think about what you know about the topic. Think about other information, details and examples that you may want to use. Plan how you will introduce the topic and think about the main ideas of the paragraphs in your essay.
Prompt:
Read the passages. Should community colleges be free? Take a position, and then write an argumentative response. Be sure to acknowledge and refute a counterclaim in your response. Use evidence and reasons from the passage as well as your own ideas to support your claim.
Passage 1:
Free Tuition Is a Needless Windfall for Affluent Voters and State Institutions
Nothing in life is truly free — but don’t tell that to dogmatic liberals and their pandering politicians, who would turn the first two years of college into a new universal entitlement. This idea has the same fatal flaws as universal preschool: a needless windfall for affluent voters and state institutions that does very little to help the needy.
Start with the expense. Today, millions of families save their own pennies and dollars to pay for kids’ college. While they would surely love to slough this burden onto taxpayers, doing so would probably shift billions of dollars a year from programs that help talented poor kids access higher education and improve our schools. In a time of scarce resources, why is this a priority?
Colleges seeking more public subsidies must stop admitting students who are unprepared academically and have virtually no shot at leaving with a real degree.
Nor would it help disadvantaged students. Most “free college” proposals focus on community colleges, turning them into “grades 13 and 14” of a new public education system. Yet these schools have the worst track record with poor kids, especially those with exceptional academic promise. (They’re also “free” to poor students today, thanks to federal Pell grants.) We know from a ton of research that these students do best at more challenging state schools and private colleges.
Yes, it might entice more students to enroll in the first place, as advocates claim. But is that a good thing? We know from multiple sources —including the National Assessment of Educational Progress — that just 40 percent of 12th graders are college-ready, even though nearly 70 percent already head straight into college. This is why more than half of those entering many colleges start in remedial courses — high school-level classes from which most will never escape. That’s no good way to enter adulthood.
Far better to prepare more disadvantaged students to succeed in college by investing in K-12 reform (and targeted pre-K) while adopting the kinds of reforms set forth this week by Jeb Bush, such as giving students a line of credit while giving colleges’ “skin in the game” via well-crafted income-based repayment plans. I would add one more: Colleges seeking more public subsidy must stop admitting students who are clearly unprepared academically and therefore have virtually no shot at leaving with a real degree or credentials.
Policymakers are right to address college affordability but let’s make sure their “solutions” don’t worsen today’s acute college-completion crisis.
Passage 2:
Tennessee Is Showing How Free Tuition Community College Works
Across Tennessee, several thousand volunteer mentors are in training to help almost 60,000 high school seniors take advantage of free community college through the Tennessee Promise. Programs like Tennessee Promise may be changing the conversation about going to college, and enticing students to try community college first.
The program, which is in its second year, offers some early lessons for similar proposals from the White House, presidential candidates and other states. Importantly, “free community college” is effective at getting more students into college, particularly when combined with mentoring. My colleague William Fox and I came to this conclusion when we studied Knox Achieves, an early model for Tennessee Promise.
Last fall, in the first year of the statewide program, freshmen enrollment rose 10 percent across Tennessee’s two-year and four-year public college systems.
Returning mentors will tell you that the program’s message is compelling: It transforms the way students view college and their place in it. The price of college is a critical piece of information for students who are unsure about going, and yet, it is a mystery until after admission and financial aid decisions are in, often late in their senior year (if they applied at all). Tennessee Promise eliminates that uncertainty with a blunt and simple message: Free tuition for high school graduates of any income and any aptitude. The state can secure that promise at relatively low cost: $1,020 per student this year. In a state where one in four under age 18 are in poverty, 45 percent of Tennessee Promise students are eligible for federal Pell grants that cover community college tuition and fees.
Other lessons from Tennessee’s take on free college will take time to unfold. Programs like Promise may be changing the conversation about going to college, but the harder work begins when new college plans become reality. Tennessee Promise students enter a system where just 28 percent of first-year students graduate within 6 years of enrolling. Many require remedial courses to catch up to college-level work. Others, enticed by free tuition, are starting at a community college rather than a four-year university with hopes to transfer and eventually complete a bachelor’s degree.
With tuition out of the equation and renewed interest in college, opportunities and challenges faced by Promise students at all degrees of readiness will be a clearer reflection of the broader education system, from kindergarten to college degree.
Should Community Colleges Be Free?
President Barack Obama proposed free community college. Some people hailed this as a wonderful idea while others felt that it will hurt not help community colleges and the students that attend them.
Weigh both sides of the claim, then write an argumentative essay supporting either side of whether or not community colleges should be free. Be sure to use information from both texts in your essay.
Before you begin planning and writing, read the two texts (texts are pasted below):
1. Free Tuition Is a Needless Windfall for Affluent Voters and State Institutions
2. Tennessee Is Showing How Free Tuition Community College Works
As you read the texts, think about which details you might use in your essay. Take notes on the details as you read.
After reading the two texts, create a plan for writing your essay. Think about what you know about the topic. Think about other information, details and examples that you may want to use. Plan how you will introduce the topic and think about the main ideas of the paragraphs in your essay.
Prompt:
Read the passages. Should community colleges be free? Take a position, and then write an argumentative response. Be sure to acknowledge and refute a counterclaim in your response. Use evidence and reasons from the passage as well as your own ideas to support your claim.
Passage 1:
Free Tuition Is a Needless Windfall for Affluent Voters and State Institutions
Nothing in life is truly free — but don’t tell that to dogmatic liberals and their pandering politicians, who would turn the first two years of college into a new universal entitlement. This idea has the same fatal flaws as universal preschool: a needless windfall for affluent voters and state institutions that does very little to help the needy.
Start with the expense. Today, millions of families save their own pennies and dollars to pay for kids’ college. While they would surely love to slough this burden onto taxpayers, doing so would probably shift billions of dollars a year from programs that help talented poor kids access higher education and improve our schools. In a time of scarce resources, why is this a priority?
Colleges seeking more public subsidies must stop admitting students who are unprepared academically and have virtually no shot at leaving with a real degree.
Nor would it help disadvantaged students. Most “free college” proposals focus on community colleges, turning them into “grades 13 and 14” of a new public education system. Yet these schools have the worst track record with poor kids, especially those with exceptional academic promise. (They’re also “free” to poor students today, thanks to federal Pell grants.) We know from a ton of research that these students do best at more challenging state schools and private colleges.
Yes, it might entice more students to enroll in the first place, as advocates claim. But is that a good thing? We know from multiple sources —including the National Assessment of Educational Progress — that just 40 percent of 12th graders are college-ready, even though nearly 70 percent already head straight into college. This is why more than half of those entering many colleges start in remedial courses — high school-level classes from which most will never escape. That’s no good way to enter adulthood.
Far better to prepare more disadvantaged students to succeed in college by investing in K-12 reform (and targeted pre-K) while adopting the kinds of reforms set forth this week by Jeb Bush, such as giving students a line of credit while giving colleges’ “skin in the game” via well-crafted income-based repayment plans. I would add one more: Colleges seeking more public subsidy must stop admitting students who are clearly unprepared academically and therefore have virtually no shot at leaving with a real degree or credentials.
Policymakers are right to address college affordability but let’s make sure their “solutions” don’t worsen today’s acute college-completion crisis.
Passage 2:
Tennessee Is Showing How Free Tuition Community College Works
Across Tennessee, several thousand volunteer mentors are in training to help almost 60,000 high school seniors take advantage of free community college through the Tennessee Promise. Programs like Tennessee Promise may be changing the conversation about going to college, and enticing students to try community college first.
The program, which is in its second year, offers some early lessons for similar proposals from the White House, presidential candidates and other states. Importantly, “free community college” is effective at getting more students into college, particularly when combined with mentoring. My colleague William Fox and I came to this conclusion when we studied Knox Achieves, an early model for Tennessee Promise.
Last fall, in the first year of the statewide program, freshmen enrollment rose 10 percent across Tennessee’s two-year and four-year public college systems.
Returning mentors will tell you that the program’s message is compelling: It transforms the way students view college and their place in it. The price of college is a critical piece of information for students who are unsure about going, and yet, it is a mystery until after admission and financial aid decisions are in, often late in their senior year (if they applied at all). Tennessee Promise eliminates that uncertainty with a blunt and simple message: Free tuition for high school graduates of any income and any aptitude. The state can secure that promise at relatively low cost: $1,020 per student this year. In a state where one in four under age 18 are in poverty, 45 percent of Tennessee Promise students are eligible for federal Pell grants that cover community college tuition and fees.
Other lessons from Tennessee’s take on free college will take time to unfold. Programs like Promise may be changing the conversation about going to college, but the harder work begins when new college plans become reality. Tennessee Promise students enter a system where just 28 percent of first-year students graduate within 6 years of enrolling. Many require remedial courses to catch up to college-level work. Others, enticed by free tuition, are starting at a community college rather than a four-year university with hopes to transfer and eventually complete a bachelor’s degree.
With tuition out of the equation and renewed interest in college, opportunities and challenges faced by Promise students at all degrees of readiness will be a clearer reflection of the broader education system, from kindergarten to college degree.
Answers
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### Should Community Colleges Be Free?
The debate surrounding the proposal for free community college education is a significant one that can profoundly impact students and society as a whole. Proponents argue that making community colleges free can increase access to higher education and reduce student debt, while critics contend that it simply redistributes resources without effectively addressing the root issues of college readiness and inequity in education. An analysis of both perspectives warrants a conclusion that community colleges should indeed be free, as they open doors for countless students who might otherwise be unable to afford further education.
Supporters of free community college cite programs such as Tennessee Promise as evidence of the positive effects such initiatives can have on student enrollment and educational attainment. In Tennessee, the program helped increase freshmen enrollment in both two-year and four-year public institutions by 10 percent in its inaugural year. This surge can be attributed to the program’s ability to eliminate financial barriers, thus encouraging students from various backgrounds to consider higher education as a viable option. By offering free tuition, the Tennessee Promise also provides critical mentoring and support to help students navigate their post-secondary journey, which can otherwise be daunting.
The data from Tennessee Promise also highlights a prevalent issue: many students are unsure about the costs associated with college until quite late in the application process. By making community college free, the financial ambiguity is removed, empowering students to pursue their goals without the immediate concern of debt. Additionally, this initiative particularly assists disadvantaged students, who often rely on financial aid to cover costs, allowing them to focus on their studies rather than working excessive hours to pay for tuition.
Moreover, claims that free community college constitutes a "windfall for affluent voters and state institutions" (as suggested in the first passage) overlook the potential societal benefits of an educated populace. While it is true that affluent individuals have more resources to cover college expenses, the primary goal of making community colleges free is to level the playing field for lower-income families. Research indicates that education is a powerful tool to combat poverty, and by providing free community college, states can mitigate economic disparities and create a more skilled workforce, which is beneficial for the economy as a whole.
Critics also express concerns regarding the academic preparedness of students, pointing out that many who enter community colleges do so unprepared for college-level work. However, this argument fails to take into account that community colleges often provide the necessary resources and support systems for students to succeed academically. Rather than denying access due to a lack of readiness, free community colleges can serve as an incubator for improving college readiness, offering remedial courses and supportive services that can ultimately help students progress towards a degree.
Nevertheless, opponents raise valid points that free community colleges could inadvertently lead to increased enrollment of unprepared students, which may strain resources and decrease graduation rates. While it is essential to address the retention and graduation crisis in community colleges, these challenges can be mitigated with proper counselling, tutoring resources, and a focus on both academic and career readiness within these institutions. Rather than scrapping the idea of free tuition altogether, it would be more constructive to pair it with robust support systems that ensure student success.
In conclusion, the benefits of making community colleges free outweigh the potential downsides. Programs like Tennessee Promise demonstrate how removing financial barriers can lead to increased enrollment and greater opportunities for students. Additionally, the societal implications of a more educated workforce provide sound reasoning for implementing free community college education. By investing in education, particularly for underprivileged demographics, we foster economic growth and contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty. Advocating for free community colleges is an investment in the future of our society, one that can yield significant returns in the form of a well-educated, skilled populace.
The debate surrounding the proposal for free community college education is a significant one that can profoundly impact students and society as a whole. Proponents argue that making community colleges free can increase access to higher education and reduce student debt, while critics contend that it simply redistributes resources without effectively addressing the root issues of college readiness and inequity in education. An analysis of both perspectives warrants a conclusion that community colleges should indeed be free, as they open doors for countless students who might otherwise be unable to afford further education.
Supporters of free community college cite programs such as Tennessee Promise as evidence of the positive effects such initiatives can have on student enrollment and educational attainment. In Tennessee, the program helped increase freshmen enrollment in both two-year and four-year public institutions by 10 percent in its inaugural year. This surge can be attributed to the program’s ability to eliminate financial barriers, thus encouraging students from various backgrounds to consider higher education as a viable option. By offering free tuition, the Tennessee Promise also provides critical mentoring and support to help students navigate their post-secondary journey, which can otherwise be daunting.
The data from Tennessee Promise also highlights a prevalent issue: many students are unsure about the costs associated with college until quite late in the application process. By making community college free, the financial ambiguity is removed, empowering students to pursue their goals without the immediate concern of debt. Additionally, this initiative particularly assists disadvantaged students, who often rely on financial aid to cover costs, allowing them to focus on their studies rather than working excessive hours to pay for tuition.
Moreover, claims that free community college constitutes a "windfall for affluent voters and state institutions" (as suggested in the first passage) overlook the potential societal benefits of an educated populace. While it is true that affluent individuals have more resources to cover college expenses, the primary goal of making community colleges free is to level the playing field for lower-income families. Research indicates that education is a powerful tool to combat poverty, and by providing free community college, states can mitigate economic disparities and create a more skilled workforce, which is beneficial for the economy as a whole.
Critics also express concerns regarding the academic preparedness of students, pointing out that many who enter community colleges do so unprepared for college-level work. However, this argument fails to take into account that community colleges often provide the necessary resources and support systems for students to succeed academically. Rather than denying access due to a lack of readiness, free community colleges can serve as an incubator for improving college readiness, offering remedial courses and supportive services that can ultimately help students progress towards a degree.
Nevertheless, opponents raise valid points that free community colleges could inadvertently lead to increased enrollment of unprepared students, which may strain resources and decrease graduation rates. While it is essential to address the retention and graduation crisis in community colleges, these challenges can be mitigated with proper counselling, tutoring resources, and a focus on both academic and career readiness within these institutions. Rather than scrapping the idea of free tuition altogether, it would be more constructive to pair it with robust support systems that ensure student success.
In conclusion, the benefits of making community colleges free outweigh the potential downsides. Programs like Tennessee Promise demonstrate how removing financial barriers can lead to increased enrollment and greater opportunities for students. Additionally, the societal implications of a more educated workforce provide sound reasoning for implementing free community college education. By investing in education, particularly for underprivileged demographics, we foster economic growth and contribute to breaking the cycle of poverty. Advocating for free community colleges is an investment in the future of our society, one that can yield significant returns in the form of a well-educated, skilled populace.
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