100% agree, and not the point i'm making.

I'm saying it will increase the average level of individual thinking, but not saying that it's a requirement. I'm simply saying those people that forgo schooling because it's not economically feasible for them, will have the ability to do so and thus one large factor in keeping people down is eliminated.

The problem I have with free college is that college, while expensive now, is already nearly compulsory for a lot of jobs that don't require it. A degree in any irrelevant thing is used as an arbitrary deciding factor. Free college will make for compulsory college as everyone will need a degree to have a chance. Then we actually lose value from the opportunity cost of people not working.

Disclaimers: obviously, yes, I think education is great in general. And I actually don't mind social education. I just think it's easier to get this wrong than right.

Well, the problem with making it free is that you're making it compulsory for others to pay for it.