Christopher Orlet — of whom I am swiftly becoming a fan — contributes this excellent column to the American Spectator on one of Occupy Wall Street’s few specific demands: Forgive student loan debt and make college free.
So, why is college so expensive nowadays? Orlet writes:
It may not surprise you to learn that it is a result of the federal government’s involvement. The real cost of University of Chicago’s tuition is probably half its sticker price. But UChicago can double its price tag because administrators know the federal government (read: taxpayer) will cough up the other half in scholarships, loans, grants, work study, etc.
I wonder if the protesters, who demand more government involvement, realize this — that without government involvement, virtually all qualified candidates could afford college? And I wonder if the protesters know that in countries where tuition is “free” colleges are highly selective, that students have to pass rigorous admission exams, and that there are a lot fewer of them, compared to the U.S. with its 4,800 colleges and universities? Most of all, I wonder how much tuition will be when it’s free?
One thing I would like to say to the protesters is, “You want free tuition to a top-tier school? Earn a full academic scholarship.” Yes, that will take a lot of hard work. Instead of hanging out with your friends, smoking weed and banging drums, you’d have to crack open a book. But you just might learn something useful — like economics and how, after high school, at least, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
