I’d argue that for academically strong students, a case can be made for a marginally more expensive education—even if it means living at home, rather than on campus. And, I’ll admit, room and board for a community college seems oxymoronic to me.
I think there are advantages to having smarter classmates, as one may have in rigorous classes at at least a state school, and more academically prominent professors.
Really, online ed ought to be competitive with community college solutions in pretty short order.
Know what else would help? Only letting the book-smart kids into college. Stop letting in kids who can’t even do remedial reading and math. No more ‘catch up’ courses. If you don’t have the skills to actually succeed in college, why are we letting these kids take out loans when failure is almost certain?
“Everyone should have the opportunity to go to college,” is the mantra. You just have to barely pass your high school classes and be willing to put your neck on the debt chopping block to get in somewhere. High school grades don’t even matter anymore. I know that grades don’t always show talent, but they do show the basic discipline to do well in school. Too many kids have the brains, but they’re scattered.
So yes, everyone should have the opportunity; but if you fritter away that opportunity, you should lose it. For your own good. We’re setting kids up for failure and they’re paying a heavy price for an unrealistic ideal.