The average cost for a college education can be through the roof, and because of this, some people that deserve to have a college education, just can’t afford it.

College educations have never been cheap, and yes, there are scholarships and financial aid opportunities, but not everyone has those opportunities. Even then, college can still be unaffordable for many people, but what if it was free.

According to Discover, on average, the annual amount for an in-state tuition and fees at a public, four-year institution range from $4,150 to more than $18,500. This price is just too high for some people, and they don’t even have a chance to attend a college.

All students who graduate high school should have the opportunity to enroll for college without having to worry about their financial situation, but, according to New York Times, only about 65.9 percent of high school graduates enroll in college after high school.

After you graduate college, it should be behind you. You should not have to worry about it, and you should be focusing on your life that’s in front of you, but that is definitely not the case.

According to the Wall Street Journal, after graduating college, most people then have student debt to worry about. In the fourth quarter of 2017, student debt stood at $1.4 trillion nationwide.

That student debt then needs to be payed off, and that can take many years. According to US News, it takes 21 years for an average bachelor degree holder to pay off their loans; and under federal income-based repayment options, remaining debt is forgiven after 20 years.

All high school graduates should have the opportunity to attend college without having to worry about their financial situations, and if college was free, this would be a reality, not a fantasy.