When you fail to study before exams...

[cookderosa]

You can't do the second two without doing the first two. I guess I don't understand since you need both. 2 times 20k beats 4 times 20k.

They matter because you need the first two years to earn the 4-year degree. Let's say that there is a shortage of people with bachelor's degrees in computer science (according to the government, there is). The average associate's degree at a community college will cost $6,000. The average cost of the last two years of college is $18,000, but the cost of the last two years doesn't really matter. Free community college just saved that student $6,000 making it easier for him or her to afford the last two years or to graduate with less debt.

.

YES! But the flawed assumption is that if taxpayers fund the first 2 years, then students will:

a) finish the first 2 years (currently only 13% of community college students currently finish an associate's degree- most enter and exit the CC system multiple times and eventually leave w/o a degree)

b) plan to pursue additional education beyond what is being provided for free (and some % of those students will not have an AAS/AOS, it will be AA/AS....which doesn't yield return on tax dollars because they haven't learned their contributable skill yet)

c) have the resources to pay for years # 3 and 4

d) can geographically attend years #3 and 4
-or-
have a computer and reliable internet to attend years #3 and 4 as a distance learner assuming that's an option in their major

e) will contribute back into society with their degree by becoming employed in some way that elevates our economy- though occupation incentives aren't part of this discussion.

The point is that for my tax dollars, this is a bad plan. Beyond being unnecessary, even if we had the money to spend (we don't) there is an obscene risk with absolutely zero upside. We already spend tons of money on Pell Grants (which helped my family multiple years btw). Current reports simply do not support that funding a student's education increases outcomes (graduation). This report summarizes a huge analysis of of Pell recipients:

An unprecedented look at Pell Grant graduation rates from 1,149 schools - The Hechinger Report

"The study found that Pell recipients had a six-year graduation rate of 51 percent in 2013 compared to 65 percent for non-Pell students."

(there are multiple barriers to completion that have nothing to do with paying tuition- I think this is lost in translation somewhere, why does everyone think it's just cost?)

"Pell grants are the U.S. Department of Education’s largest single expenditure, making up $31.5 billion of its budget in 2013-14. Because of a quirk in federal policy, there is very little accountability for this money, however; schools must provide their Pell student graduation rates to any prospective applicant who asks, but are not required to report this information to the Department of Education."

(so, we don't even track this money to see if they graduate!)

EDIT to add: I still stand by my position that I don't think cost is the barrier to admission or completion.