Originally Posted by Bostonian
Originally Posted by Val
Our society encourages everyone to go to college, yet many aren't ready for college. We say that we're trying to help them find a better future, but we're really just yoking a lot of them to debt. This is wrong, and damages not just individuals, but the country as a whole.
I agree, but "free tuition at US public universities" sends the message that everyone should go to college, just as free K-12 schooling sends the message that everyone should finish high school. As an alternative, giving 18-year-olds a grant of say $40,000 that could be used either for higher education *OR* to offset the first $40,000 of their social security and payroll taxes would not biased in favor of college over work.

They can't just be free. They need to be free for the best of the best. The rest can pay their way through private schools or find a job after high school and become "skilled labor" so those jobs that need skills wouldn't be all done overseas.