5 of 21

No

Write now Article Tools

The decision to attend college is often times the most arduous and important in a young person's life. Not only does the decision affect the coming years in the short term, but can have weighty long-term effects, the consequences of which can ripple for the remainder of their lives. Standing in the way of the college dream is often the specter of the financial burden, which, in modern times, has become substantial. No longer are prospective college students turning away from the hallowed halls of academia due to poor grades, but due to a lack of easy access to financial resources. As citizens who enjoy the benefit of free public education through secondary school, an obvious solution to this problem lies in the responsibility of the government to continue the support of its citizens by providing financial assistance with the burden of college tuition. Sometimes, however, the most obvious of solutions is not the best. Although college tuition is, without question, prohibitively high, prospective college students should not be looking for government assistance in order to accrue the necessary funds to attend.

The role of schooling has traditionally been to prepare students for the realities of life outside of their parent's home; a life that, in America, is based around a free market capitalism with few safety nets. The government is helping no one prepare for the cold financial realities of life by giving money cheaply, even to those who need it. There are few situations in which a college student cannot, on his or her own, afford to pay their own tuition by getting a job. In addition to a job, there are a myriad of bank-backed student loan options, which can buoy the financial readiness of a college-bound individual just as well as a government handout. Although things will be more difficult for that individual, he or she learns a far more important lesson about the limits to their money and the value of money spent on education rather than other short-term pleasures.

The American dream has always heralded the power of the individual to face life's problems and overcome them with his or her own ingenuity and resources. There exist numerous options available to those who wish to attend college but cannot afford it, and none of those options must include the assistance of a government that is currently staggering under a record debt. Spending one's own hard earned money on the invaluable gift of a higher education is one of the strongest lessons one can learn about the true value of investment in one's future. A true shame it would be if this lesson were snatched away by the offer of an easy solution in the form of a government handout.

Learn more about this author, John Wilmore.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Should students expect the government to help pay for college expenses??
We want to hear your view. Write now!