Why can’t going to a university be free in America, like in Europe 🤔?

[SweetJoyGirl]

I never truly understood why the EU lets their students go to uni for free, but here in America, “land of the free”, we have to pay for uni. Why is that, truly? Is it to prove that we are better than EU? Have more money? Is it to instill fear in the people? I really don’t know. I am just throwing out ideas here. 🤔

Updates

1 y

Why won’t we let it come out of our taxes? Wouldn’t that be better? 🤔

Updates

1 y

I am sorry! I thought they were living it up in EU with free education. It turns out I misunderstood. 😔

[WindAtMyBack]

Is it really free in Europe? Or is it just free for a select number of people?

I remember a guy on here who used to go on and on about how the US should have free college like his country in Europe. But it turns out that his country didn't really have free college. They only had free college for the top tier students. It wasn't free for the majority of the population. It was only free if you met stringent qualifications.

The US has the highest education attainment in the world. There are so many people going to college in the US that the available funds are spread pretty thin. The US spends more per student than any country in the world.

So is it better to pay for 100% of college for 20% of the population? Or pay for 50% for 40% of the population? Or pay for 33% of 60% of the population? They are all paying for the same total amount of college. So which is better?

What about the ability to change majors? What about the ability to just take "whatever" classes until a student decides what they want to do? What about the ability to take night classes with no intention of getting a degree? Do countries with "free" college pay for people who are not seriously going for a degree?

Would it still be free in countries if 2/3 of the population was going to college? What about 3/4 of the population? Or 80% of the population? The people who advocate "free" college in the US want it to be free for EVERYONE, even people with an IQ of 70. What kind of vetting process do they have in countries where college is "free"?

I don't know the answer to all of these questions. But I know the answer to some of them. I know that when people compare college costs in the US to Europe that they are comparing apples to oranges. So if someone seriously wants to use Europe for comparison, they really need to do some research and find out the big picture.

[exitseven]

Yes, i met a woman I went to grad school with that was from Portugal. She did not pay for college but it was not for everyone.
If college was free for everyone in America colleges would be turned into big babysitters for kids that do not want to work.

[WindAtMyBack]

@exitseven

California used to have free college. I don't know what kind of vetting process they had, but there was no tuition. Sort of...

When I lived in California, I went back to college around 1990 to update myself. This was a community college. At that time, the tuition was $6 per unit, so full time was $90 per semester. That is damn near free. It really was completely free at one time. but ONLY for community college. They had a good matriculation program into the state university system. With most majors, you could take the first two years at CC, then transfer into the university system as a full junior.

Around the time I was there, the tuition went up to $10 per unit, then $13 per unit. A lot of students were up in arms protesting the high cost. They had no idea that California, even with the increases, had the cheapest tuition in the country, by a significant amount.

But California couldn't afford it. So they had to quit doing it. California is the richest state. If they couldn't afford it, the other states such as heck can't either.

[exitseven]

Yes, I was in basic training with a couple of guys from California. One guy want to USC and I ws in the Air Force to get a scholarship and then serve 6 years after I graduated , He told me college was free to California residenrts and he just wanted ot be a pilot.

[Daniela1982]

You could go free to a community college, but not Universities. It basically depends on your grades and other factors which gets you in. If it was free to everyone the schools would be overwhelmed with admittance requests, because the schools only have room for so many students. And who would want to teach at a university with overcrowded classrooms?

[DJB72]

University in the EU and UK is fucking expensive in most countries. Scandinavian countries cover the costs of undergraduate courses through taxpayer funds, but further south it's definitely not free

[Guacamole409]

I worked with a girl who said she hated America, because college wasn't free. I will never forget the day when she got her very first paycheck and asked me why she had to pay taxes. LOL I told her taxes helped keep things free.

[menina]

I can't speak about the United States nor other European Union countries, but I studied in a EU country and it wasn't for free.

[menina]

Thank you for the MHO.

[SweetJoyGirl]

You are quite welcome. 💜

[menina]

💛💛

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

There are lots of things to consider but, simplifying a lot, it's mainly a matter of social, economical and political philosophy. Some people decided, long time ago, that taxes were evil, they fled EU. They created a new country: USA. In this country they decided to value the individual over the collective. So, less taxes = less redistribution to the public infrastructure, so, now you have schools costing a lung because you are born in a country built on individualistic philosophy.

It's unlikely that your country could switch philosophy easily, given the roots. But, who knows?

[BetaBucks]

I just don't understand why professors and college admins don't open up free colleges and volunteer for them on their free time. That way, low income people can go to those schools for free, and no major government hurdles need to be overcome. It can happen with almost zero effort and would also drive down the cost of college for everyone else. Doing the entire country a favor, with just a little bit of self sacrifice and compassion

[SweetJoyGirl]

Oh, dear Buck. If only.
That is truly a pipe dream and we live in a vicious world. 😔

[BetaBucks]

I'm going to start promoting this everywhere I go now. You kinda just motivated me. Wish me luck!

[SweetJoyGirl]

Oh, ok!
Best of luck in your endeavors! 💜

[BetaBucks]

Thank you!

[buzzword]

Just because they told you it costs zero dollars doesn't mean it's free. They just use a different currency. For example course fees at Oxford University run £9,250 a course. That's $12,147.10 a course USD. In contrast a state university in the USA charges something like $315.21 a course to state residents for undergraduate course work. So in the USA you could get your Bachelor's degree for $12,608.40 on a pure tuition basis which is equivalent to a single course in Europe.

[buzzword]

Many states also offer steep discounts to students that perform well in high school. For example the Florida Bright Futures Program covers 100% of tuition and applicable fees for students that had a 3.0 GPA or greater in high school. They adjust the GPA range from time to time. I think it's varied from 3.5 down to 3.0 over the years depending on state budgeting.

[abc3643]

Because the motto of the United States was eloquently stated by the arch-villain The Joker in "The Dark Knight".

https://www.youtube.com/embed/L3oOldViIgY

"United We Stand" only applies to the majority and wealthy being united in fucking over everyone else.

[NamerOfStars]

Because we're the only part of the free world that has even the potential to teach our kids that taxpayer-funded stuff isn't free. It's usually MORE expensive, since it has to go through a middleman.

Even putting that aside, universities in Europe AREN'T free; take a look at tuition rates for Oxford.

[AviatorTom]

It's not really free in Europe. People pay for it via a higher income tax. Average personal income tax rate in Europe is 43%, while it is 36% in the US. Add to that other taxes (VAT, real estate, gas tax, etc.) and the average European pays up to 60% of their income in taxes. The equivalent total tax in the US is around 45%.

[SixFootSexy]

There are tons of free online courses at a college level, it just isn't government sponsored. University doesn't guarantee you a job. It teaches you to put up with BS and propaganda.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hIdsjNGCGz4

[Fireguy17]

because nothing is free.
You just get to go without a direct cost to you, but one you start paying taxes there is or will be a cost to you through your taxes.
There is a cost because everyone involved with school, the buildings, utilities, maint everything has a cost.
Other are paying for it with their taxes, which once you get older you will get to do the same thing so others can attend school at no direct cost to them, so you will be paying those costs for as long as you work.

[RebelinSteel]

It’s not free in England, it is in Scotland but they are really struggling for cash and are cutting places and staff.

[SweetJoyGirl]

But in some EU countries it is, yea? 🤔

[SweetJoyGirl]

Like besides Scotland.

[Amur8711]

Free university isn't free, nothing is free. Land of the free means freedom to live how the individual chooses to live. Being forced to pay other people's university bills by the government is not individual freedom. Plus we fought Great Britain for our freedom over taxes.

[Juxtapose]

Because it isn't free, it is taken from the taxpayers. And you have to get permission from the taxpayers to really take that money ethically.

[SweetJoyGirl]

Yes, it comes out from their taxes, but isn’t that better? 🤔

[JSkye]

I would say it's better. If everypne paid a school tax, then we in the US would actually be investing in our future as a nation. Instead, most people don't even go to college anymore because it is too expensive. As a result, we are starting to fall behind the other nations of the world in terms of education/skills

[SweetJoyGirl]

@JSkye Yeaaaa 😔

[Juxtapose]

Americans can still go to the trade school and with colleges trying to tell you that men can get pregnant, you're probably not missing too much by not going to one of them.

[JSkye]

Well, that's an opinion 🙄

[Juxtapose]

Yep, it is.

[SweetJoyGirl]

Well, it is ok! We are all free to think as we wish! ^-^ 💜

[JSkye]

Ok, I tried to bite my tongue, but I have to speak.
Transgender men can (often) still get pregnant.
Transgender women cannot. However, it is possible in one of two ways:
1 - a womb transplant. It hasn't been done in humans yet, but it would be possible.
2 - the transgender woman was already intersex to begin with.
Things aren't so black and white as many in the world would have you believe.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

@JSkye
For the record, don't bite your tongue, no one does it here, as you can see ! :D

[Juxtapose]

@JSkye transgender people are simply those pretending to be something they are not. Pretending you were something does not make you that something. I for example can try to make myself look more like a cat and act like a cat, but I will never be a cat.

Intersex people are the exception and the exception proves the rule.

[Juxtapose]

*pretending you are something does not make you that something

[Juxtapose]

Men do not have a vagina or a uterus. That is why I disparage colleges because they are making people so foolish they can't even tell the difference between a man or a woman.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

@Juxtapose
You see, we're back to the problem of going on cognitive only. If you could connect to your feelings, as in empathy, then you would register that some people truly feel disconnected from their biology, this is called suffering. Whether or not you consider it valid, there is suffering to look at and you're not looking at it because you're obsessed with your cognition.

[Juxtapose]

@Maybe_Maybe_not people are fucking weird. My body is just a biological machine that houses my consciousness until I inevitably die. I don't care if it is male or female as long as it can do the job and attract the people I want.

[Juxtapose]

But people get so fucking obsessed with these identities that don't mean anything and don't reflect their body.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

yes people are strange, and quite frankly you already sound strange enough so why are you surprised LOL. Now shut up and listen to the music 😆

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgHaGrZkkv4

[Anonymous]

Americans have standards, unlike socialist Eurotrash.

[SweetJoyGirl]

Calm down buddy. lol

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

No, this train is called Eurostar, you missed the typo here !
Better luck next time lol

[exitseven]

nothing is free. Somebody has to pay for it. If the students don't pay for it somebody else has to pick up the tab.

[MrGSpotHer]

Well in the UK it's not free they do some places for free for some people but more pay I think

[MrGSpotHer]

It's fine we have free health care though ☺️

[SweetJoyGirl]

That is quite true. 😌

[RMSTitanic]

Probably same reason why US doesn't have public healthcare

[RMSTitanic]

@sweetjoygirl so where did the username come from?

[SweetJoyGirl]

My username?

[RMSTitanic]

Yes your username

[SweetJoyGirl]

I came up with it. lol

[RMSTitanic]

Are you a sweet joyous girl? Lol

[SweetJoyGirl]

Yes, I quite am. lol

[RMSTitanic]

That's the best way to be

[RMSTitanic]

Can I message you?

[Snakeyes7]

University has never been free, is currently not free, nor will it be ever free. Even if the student is not directly paying for it, the taxpayers will. Colleges need money to run.

[beefcakebradybatson]

Because the good ol' USA wastes $850,000,000,000 (EIGHT HUNDRED FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS) on war, which detracts from America's ability to pay for education and infrastructure.

[OtterMan68]

it's harder to get into universities in Europe and in high school, some people are put on college track and some on vocation track.

[jahaims]

Why should one part of the population pay for the other parts expenses? College is a luxury not a need.

[Anonymous]

I already know that America is getting desperate for money. America is losing budget spending a lot for its military to bully other countries and have a lot of debts as well.

[EnjoytheDay777]

They pay more taxes in the EU so they have free education / healthcare.

[nawtee_me]

It is the land of the free to charge everyone for everything….

[Pterodon]

Because Americans won’t pay the high taxes required

[Anonymous]

It's not fully free in my country

It's €3000 per year

But I agree it's reasonable

12k for 4 year course

Go Europe 🙂

[Anonymous]

Good question, students in the USA don't have all the advantage.

[NathanDavis]

everything in the USA is up for busines...

[Dongie]

Because we don't charge 85% taxes

[Dongie]

Oh, and our elected officials get to use our coffers as their personal piggy bank.

[gatixek710]

Do you work for free?

[gatixek710]

Who’s taxes? There are 26,000,000 18-24 year olds in the US. If 80% of them go to this free college. That’s 21,000,000. The average cost of a year in college in the US is $38,000. Bringing the total bill to $790,400,000,000 or an average of $5k PER taxpayer in this country.

[Kelly6]

@sweetjoygirl Capitalism

[Maybeyoutoo]

Americans even have to pay for healthcare