Free College

Obviously, the ability to afford college is a great impediment to many who wish to attend college. In terms of a harsh reality, that somewhat limits the number of applications received by colleges and universities due to the lack of funds on the part of some potential students. Beyond that, there are basic minimum requirements for entrance and in almost all instances there is competition for a limited number of vacancies.
Our Democratic presidential candidate is promising free college education in "public" colleges if she is elected. The first major hurdle to that is that "public" colleges are run by and controlled by the individual states, not the federal government. Would her idea be for the federal government to simply pay the state schools or would she attempt to take over the state schools? Just as a small aside, where would the funding be obtained for either approach? No matter which approach she attempted, the states’ control of and rights to the colleges would have to be usurped. Next, since she is promising free college, who would determine which potential students could attend since there is obviously not enough room for everyone who would want the free college degree? The answer to that would have to be a federal government controlled program to make the selections. Therefore, a criterion of some sort would have to be established by the government to decide which applicants could actually go to free college – a selection process which anyone with half-sense can realize would be disastrous.
A few factoids might help those who support Hillary based upon free college. From the 2014 and’15 college graduates:
51% of those graduates, who do actually have employment, state that they are working at jobs that do not require their degrees.
83% of them did not have any job secured prior to graduation
Only 39% of them, who do have jobs, are making more than $25,000 per year.
What then would statistics reveal if everyone who wanted a college education could attend for free and the program added many, many thousands of annual graduates?
As to the astronomical student loan debt claimed by many, it seems strange that the Federal program for Direct Unsubsidized Loans places an aggregate maximum in loans at $31,000 no matter how many years of attendance. Those who choose different kinds of loans are simply making a personal decision to become indebted to whatever level gives them comfort. Sure, they can borrow enough money to buy a new car, new clothes and live in a nice apartment, but if they are smart enough to get into college, surely they recognize there will come a time for payback.
Easy conclusion. Clinton’s promise of free college is a virtual impossibility and would serve no good purpose even if it could work.