Not too many can say that college wasn't some of the best years of their lives. A whole new sense of independence our angsty teenage selves yearned for is finally achieved. A fun place full of life-changing opportunities and an array of unique people that could be potential business partners or lifelong partners. Though many struggle with a stupendous amount of debt upon graduation, college is mostly never regretted.
As a college student, your whole world shifts.
And then suddenly, those faces you got accustomed to seeing are gone.
Not because they couldn't handle the work or they didn't belong there, but because they couldn't afford the ever increasing costs of attending.
New York decided earlier this year that they would initiate free tuition for New York Students attending public colleges and universities through a scholarship program, helping students whose families make under $100,000 a year. A meaningful step down the path of keeping students pursuing education and relieving some financial stress on parents who want their children to have bright futures.
There are reasonable concerns about this new change, however.
This is going to cost the state millions of dollars that not all taxpayers may be ready to invest in. Students will be chained to New York; this is only offered for students who live in the state, go to a state college (graduate on time, typically 4 years), and then stay the number of years they attended school in New York.
All other fees, such as books and board, are completely the student's responsibility. It also doesn't too much assist those who aren't going straight from high school to college or attending school full time.
So will this really benefit students?
The answer is still yes.
How will it work?
Breaking these problems down, there is still a fantastic opportunity for thousands of students to do something they may not have even considered due to their situations.
It would encourage high school students who are currently lagging to try harder there's still a chance to go. It would encourage current college students considering dropping out to give it another year. It would encourage students who weren't sure about a 4-year college to try a community college because why not?
It's definitely going to cost, but instead of looking at it as using taxpayer money for an "experiment", we should look at it as an investment.
These students will take the skills they've learned and the ideas they've formed and put them to use in that city, which could lead to an economic boost (We all know New York is the hot spot for several different professions). These are the leaders of our future; we need to give them the chance to prosper.
Those who have to work to afford the costs of books, fees and board still have the option of other scholarships that may assist in that area but also should still take advantage and go, considering it would cost more money to try to go later than going now. Lots of college students work part time jobs while going to school, and schools can often provide payment schedules. There are also tons of websites to get books much cheaper than the school bookstore.
It's something new for everyone. It's going to require a lot of adjusting. However, for those who want it bad enough, nothing will stand in their way. Everything takes time, and it will be time well spent to find a way to allow those who want to go to college the chance.
