Free college comes at a cost

While the dream of free college is alluring, the reality is that public funding and financial aid create a complex web of trade-offs for taxpayers and universities.

I’m of the mind that education is a privilege. However, I am not one who will argue against it being seen as a basic human right, and if it is, then that means it should be free.  

We must be realistic and understand that nothing is truly free, whether it’s a basic human right or not. The money to fund education comes from somewhere, whether by tax dollars or donors. 

Being educated doesn’t always mean a person has to attend major institutions. This really depends on what a person wants to learn and do with their life. But if a person wants to pursue a career that requires a degree, then one must pay for it. That’s where financial aid can come into play. 

“Overall, universities including UW have supported the state increasing its investment in financial aid,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Planning and Budget Cherie Berthon at UWT. “I should note that Washington has the highest per student financial aid offering of any state in the country.” 

The private school Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City has made it possible for their graduating seniors for the next 4 years to have their last quarter completely paid for. This was possible because former alumni donated more than 10 million dollars. The institution is a non-profit and was founded on the principle that investing in the education of people was the best thing for society. 

While this is great news for those seniors, public institutions like UW must look to the government to make education a priority. However, this can be difficult when discussing state budgeting. 

“It’s easy to talk about the state doing more,” Berthon told the Ledger. “The state would only get its money essentially by increasing taxes and it has done that over the last few years.” 

Berthon went on to say that here at UW, tuition provides roughly 60 percent and the state provides 40 percent of the cost of education as seen in the graph below.

According to the Washington Student Achievement Council website, those who qualify for the WA College Grant could be eligible for a full award which would be $12,300 for a family of 4 who earns $75,000 or less in yearly income. The Pell Grant is offered by the federal government to students who haven’t earned a bachelor’s degree or beyond. Filling out a FAFSA application will determine if a student is eligible for a maximum of up to $7,395 for the 2024-2025 award year. Award amounts vary each year. 

It got me thinking about the possibility of the government paying for each student’s tuition. Would the quality of education be the same or would it decrease? 

This would depend on any policy the state government would put in place to cover tuition. This would mean that the policy would either have to cover the entirety of tuition or only partially, which would mean schools would have less services or resources to offer. 

If tuition were to be free for everyone, then going to school could become competitive because there’s only so much money to go around. I can see it becoming as competitive as applying for scholarships, bringing up concerns about who would qualify for tuition paid in full. 

“Think of the legislature that funds all of the state operations,” said Berthon. “They have to decide how to prioritize not just higher education but K-12. They’re also prioritizing health care and child welfare and other programs like long-term care. The state has this broad range of responsibilities from a financial perspective.”  

Again, we cycle back to basic human rights. The state has to figure out how to balance the needs of vulnerable communities. This is not always an easy decision because there are many needs that require the same level of careful consideration. 

My mom received a third grade education in her home country and my dad finished high school in his home country. But when he got to the US, his high school education didn’t mean anything. Both my parents had to find work as if they didn’t receive any type of education. Due to my family history, I see education as a privilege. 

My degree is being paid for because I qualify for low-income family financial support. Since I qualify, it’s my understanding that I will be able to obtain a bachelor’s degree under the current system. To me, that means I’m receiving a free education from state and federal programs.   

“We are as a whole, a very generous state when it comes to financial aid on a per student basis,” Berthon said. “The question is, can we afford as a state to shift it so that it moves, more and more?”