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The Pell Grant Program gives free college to tens of thousands of students every year. At community college. Community college is a great tool for those that have concerns about paying for University for 4 years. It gives people the ability to try out higher education and determine if they would like to continue. It enables graduates to have a baseline set of skills that can sustain someone if they choose to go the next step to a University.
You are making an incredibly huge leap that everyone has access to community colleges within reasonable commuting distance. Additionally, the income threshold for Pell Grants is very low. So, that isn't quite a fair arguement to make, although I get your point.
I do think it needs to be pointed out that many states have already made their community colleges tuition well within reach, provide state grants or other programs that practically cover the entire tutition, or have even made community college classes free for people without a degree. It is the other expenses, such as books and living costs, that community college students take student loans out for and that is a practice that needs to stop. It is absolutely ludicrous that many community college students pay as much, if not more, for their books for a class than they pay for the actual class. It is even more ridiculous that some are taking student loans out to buy cars or suppliment their lifestyle. I would much rather see free community college tutition and book grants.
As a side note, I would love to see community colleges adopt policies aimed toward the eliminating the practice of instructors supplementing their pay by making their students purchase books written by them, along with measures to decrease replacing books with new editions that don't have significant changes.
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My view and it will always be this way: anyone can go to college for little money if they set their minds to it and check all the resources. Between community colleges, grants, scholarships, working part time while attending classes (maybe carrying a smaller load) and other sources college is out there for everyone. I think there are too many young people who really have no desire to get an education and are looking for excuses. College isn't for everyone. There are many rewarding jobs that also pay decent salaries that do not require anything more than a high school education and maybe some tech school or trade school training.
I think that at least community college (which I don't believe can get you a bachelors) is generally affordable for most working people.
Maybe we need to reform the entire education system, public highschool's goal seems to center around preparing students for college and not necessarily the working life. There are a lot of redundancies in the curriculum. What about a system wide change to making at least an associates degree achievable by the end of highschool requiring only an extra 2 years post highschool to work towards a bachelor's? I think more paid apprenticeships with class time could go a long way for growing a skilled workforce.
I have a long term goal of getting a bachelors, but it is difficult working 40+ hours and raising a family.
The Pell Grant Program gives free college to tens of thousands of students every year. At community college. Community college is a great tool for those that have concerns about paying for University for 4 years. It gives people the ability to try out higher education and determine if they would like to continue. It enables graduates to have a baseline set of skills that can sustain someone if they choose to go the next step to a University.
Unfortunately, Pell Grants and most federal aid in general are based on parents' income. Even if your parents refuse to help you out at all, even if they spend all their income and are in serious debt, students won't see a dime of aid if their parents make over a certain amount.
I have first-hand experience with this.
I do agree though that more people should consider going to community college the first 2 years and then transfer.
I think that at least community college (which I don't believe can get you a bachelors) is generally affordable for most working people.
Maybe we need to reform the entire education system, public highschool's goal seems to center around preparing students for college and not necessarily the working life. There are a lot of redundancies in the curriculum. What about a system wide change to making at least an associates degree achievable by the end of highschool requiring only an extra 2 years post highschool to work towards a bachelor's? I think more paid apprenticeships with class time could go a long way for growing a skilled workforce.
I have a long term goal of getting a bachelors, but it is difficult working 40+ hours and raising a family.
I'm hoping that more schools will get with the times and offer more online classes so that working folks such as yourself can get a BA. It'd also be far more cost effective.
I'm hoping that more schools will get with the times and offer more online classes so that working folks such as yourself can get a BA. It'd also be far more cost effective.
I agree that there are many courses that can - and should - be taught online.
But there are many others where forgoing live discussion and personal interaction would result in a poorer education.
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