Pittsburghers' Opinions Differ on Free College

PITTSBURGH -- Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, and flowers are cautiously emerging from their buds. May 1 is fast approaching. As spring blossoms across the United States, many high school seniors are preparing to commit to college. 

Not all seniors will go to college. For some, it is a personal choice. For others, college is simply unaffordable. 

United States citizens should have a right to free postsecondary education, according to some people interviewed in downtown Pittsburgh in an informal survey this week. 

Robyn Golden, 37, a Starbucks employee, says that education is for everyone. 

“I think everybody should be equal to education, like, period,” Golden said. “I think everybody should be able to do that.” 

Max Douge, late 50s, a business and employment consultant for Frederick County Workforce Services in Maryland, agrees that free postsecondary education is important. 

“I’ve seen that a lot of fields have become specialized,” said Douge, “whether it’s certifications, licenses or degrees. I think if people had the right to choose whether or not they could pursue it, and have it paid, I think would be extremely valuable for local communities, states, the country.” 

Some people like the idea of free postsecondary education but worry about what it would cost for the government. Scott Segler, 50, a Pittsburgh police officer, is one of those people. 

“I don’t know what the cost would be,” Segler said. “I mean, if they could figure out something where it’s not, you know, it’s not gonna crush the American people, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.” 

According to Education Data Initiative, there are three types of free college programs: last-dollar tuition-free, first-dollar tuition-free, and debt-free. 

With a last-dollar tuition-free program, the government would cover any tuition remaining after a student’s grant aid (scholarships and grants a student wouldn’t have to pay back) is applied. For example, if tuition was $7,000, and a student had $3,000 in grant aid, the government would cover the remaining $4,000. 

The student would still be responsible for other expenses, such as room and board. A last-dollar tuition-free program would be the cheapest of the three types of programs for the government. 

In a first-dollar tuition-free program, the government would cover the full tuition, regardless of grant aid. If tuition was $7,000, the government would cover the full amount, and grant aid could be applied to the cost of room and board. 

In a debt-free program, the government would cover the full cost of attending college, which includes tuition and room and board. Debt-free programs are the most expensive for the government.

Several states have programs that offer some form of free college to students. One example of this is Tennessee Promise. According to the Tennessee Promise website, the program offers a last-dollar scholarship to students pursuing an associate degree program at qualifying colleges in Tennessee. 

However, not everyone thinks that free postsecondary education is a good thing. Susan, 65, thinks that the government should not be responsible for paying for postsecondary education. 

“If you want to go to college, you should pay for it yourself,” Susan said, “like everybody else has always had to do. To ask the taxpayers to pay for your college is wrong. I don’t think there’s an entitlement to post-high school.” 

Bill Klewien, 51, a Duquesne education administrator, has other reasons for opposing free postsecondary education. Based on his experience working in New Mexico, a state which offers free tuition to state college and universities, he believes that free college programs reduce engagement in education. 

“(Students) had no skin in the game,” Klewien said. 

Despite some opposing views, many states have adopted or proposed some form of tuition-free program. In addition, a bill called America’s College Promise Act of 2023 was introduced in Congress, which would establish a partnership between the states and the federal government to cover two years of community and technical college tuition for eligible students. 

Carol Steytler, 69, a Pittsburgh resident, agrees that postsecondary education should be accessible. 

“We should all have choices in life and guidance,” Steytler said.