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Commentary By Preston Cooper

MI Responds: 2016 State of the Union on Higher Education

Education Higher Ed

"MI Responds" features real-time commentary from Manhattan Institute scholars on breaking news and developing issues. Click here to view more.

President Obama said tonight that we need to make two years of community college free. But this proposal ignores that 40 percent of community college students do not graduate, even when taking into account those who transfer to other institutions.

Instead of proposals to burden taxpayers with the costs of 'free' college, I wish we could have heard more about what we can do to hold colleges accountable to their students. How can we make sure that colleges help their students graduate and go on to find good jobs?

Preston Cooper is a Policy Analyst at the Manhattan Institute's Economics21.