Why not pay for college if a state pays for highschool?

states are required to pay for public schools..economically it just makes sense you make more money with an education, also the state benefits from this, along with your community. statistics show that with a highschool education you make about 4 times more money than without, and with a college education you make 3 times more money than a highschool education, so like 12 times more than no edcation. If states pay for school up to highschool, why not pay for college? The only thing i can think of is that a state educated person might leave to another state but from a national perspective barely anyone educated in the united states leaves. Why waste money on sports stadiums and other investments when you can diretly help a states citizens... also what business investment can pay back for itself 4 times over in about 2 decades almost guranteed? college costs 20k min 40k max highschool salery 45k college salary 90k through income taxes alone it would pay back for itself in abou 6y? economically wise its been proven, thats why insurance works... i agree with these answers.....everyone cant be equal thats communism and we all know how that ends but why not have the states put a substantial more amount of money in scholarships....which go to the most worth people......there are alot of people out there who work hard, and get good grades.....who cant afford college even with the people who die, drop out, do drugs, and abuse the system statistically the idea is still sound altough it prob wouldn't work because to ensure rightful use youd prob have to sign some papers saying that you wont leave us....stuff that is kinda illegal.....

Public Comments

1. because only a few people go to college, and then what would a college degree be worth if every one could have one? ehhhhh?
2. agree w/ first answerer. we don't need everyone having them, some people have to work blue collar jobs.
3. State?? Who do you think the state is? Think of all the jerks you went to high school with. You want to be taxed so that they can go to a University and stay high for 4 years? If you want to go somewhere with your life, you have to take charge. No freebies, you get what you earn. People that believe they "deserve" something they have not worked for "deserve" to share a cell with 3 other idiots. Study hard, get an education.
4. Do the math, man, if you're so big on education. The government is not going to wait 6 years per person to try to get its money back. Would YOU wait six years to try to get your money back on a risky investment? A lot can happen in six years and a lot will happen in 6 years. People are going to drop out of college, many people will switch their college course of study multiple times, some people are gonna die (it's reality). It comes down to the gov't paying for high school (and grade school) because children go to these places, children who can't get real jobs because of child labor laws. So what are you going to do with a major chunk of the population that has nothing to do all day? Send them off to a place where they just sit there quietly and learn all day. Simple.
5. It does make sense, but people would have to pay more taxes to do this. A stadium or other big investment is visible. The students are not so visible. Tax payers want to see where their money is going. As a teacher in both a high school and a university, I see one other big difference. High school students (public) don't see that they have any investment in their education. They aren't personally paying anything. They are not as motivated to do well. College students see where their money is going. Many of them will work harder, come to class, and participate because they don't want to waste the money they are spending (or borrowing).
6. High school is a requirement. While Colleges are an optional set of schooling that helps you progress in your work area. If College was free America would no doubt go into more debt than ever beforel. Instead of making College free the Educational district of americas congress just hightens the standards for High Schools. Seems lazy right? Most public schools in america have very small salaries while Colleges use the money from Tuitions
7. The reason that college degrees are worth anything is because people, a) wanted them enough to pay for them and b) there are people who made the colleges good. Why'd they make the college good? So more people would go there and pay them. It's the greed in capitalism that makes it work. If the government takes care of college, college education will become the same trash that highschool education in general has become. It's not about the money always. Sometimes it's about the actual education. State education=cheap education. In monetary value, yes, but also in the quality/type of education. And they already do have colleges, state colleges! However, you still have to pay for them, and there's still a lot of competition involved. (Another fact, the private college where both my older sister got her BS, wher another older sister is currently getting her BA, where both parents got their BS and my mom got her MS, and I'm planning to go to is actually cheaper per semester than the state college where my brother got his BS and my dad got his MS).
8. the states do support college education, just not every nickel and dime. go compare the price of community colleges and state colleges with private schools and see the difference. that difference is the government funding
9. Not a bad question. You just needed to dig a little deeper. States are paying for higher education. Schools like Ohio State, Georgia State, University of Flordia, University of KS, etc are "State" schools as opposed to private schools. They recieve a lot of support from state govt. Community colleges are also supported by states, counties, regional authorities and cities. The federal student loan program is supporting higher education, while you have interest and loan repayments, it is at the net an entitlement program, ie costs the govt money. As for the sports stadiums agrument, forget that. I know what you are saying, but sport stadiums can only be blamed up to thier costs, ie you can't blame them for 10 billion of funding shortfalls if they cost 180 million. Many are funded with bonds that are payed for by parking fees and other taxes related to the stadium. There are MANY other civic projects you can point to and say the same thing, convention center, parking garage, zoo, etc. My city recently put money into a theater and museum. Some might say that was not needed. As for the return on investment. You are assuming free college would increase the number of graduates. It might, but if you look at major state colleges, where for a material percentage of the students, money is not an issue, the drop out rate might be near 50% for freshmen.
10. Sorry. I strongly "disagree." Students will study "harder" and achieve a "higher grade level" in collage if it hits them where it hits us. "In the wallet." I have not intention of paying for co-ed dorms, wild party's,or for students who keep going to collage and "never" ending up with any kind of "degree" at all. There are many "scholarships" out there for those with the grade level to qualify for one. and they just have to do their "research" to find one. I know there are many fine students out there. But, there are many who have no self-respect, self-discipline or the gratitude to appreciate what is "given to then." That has been proven by those, who have been granted "student loans." Many have become very successful doctors and lawyers with very large homes and businesses. But, have yet to pay back the student loan, with no intention of doing so at all. Which in turn costs the new applicants more in interest for their student loans, who in return will do the same. So. In a science. "We all are already paying for your collage education." This is not "rocket science," here. is it! .. <}:-})