The community college campuses around the country were abuzz with the news of President Obama’s proposal of free, 2-year community college. It seemed like this was the best thing to come out of the Obama administration since theDream Act.

The proposal would cover tuition not only for fresh-out-of-high-school college students, but also for non-traditional students like seniors, adults and veterans.

According to Obama, the Federal government would cover two thirds of the costs while states willing to participate would cover the remainder.

This may be an empty promise or it can pave the way for a real, educated society. Either way, both students and adults alike should watch with scrutiny this so-called proposal.

While on the surface this seems like the best and right choice for students around the country, we must also take into account the specifics of the plan and the ripple effect it can have on other things. This also raises many questions for those looking beyond the uncertain horizon of the future.

Will it cover just two years and will you end up paying out-of-pocket for the rest of your classes? How will financial aid be affected if you do have to pay out-of-pocket?

Any economics major will have heard the phrase “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” meaning that even if it’s free to you it’s costing someone money somewhere.

So logically, where will the money come from for the state to pay for the remainder of the tuition fees for all its students? State taxes would most likely go up, even if this proposal produces a better skilled workforce, it would still be expensive.

The average cost of tuition for Cerritos students is about $1,346, according to the Cerritos College website. That’s the cost of classes without books, transportation and personal expenses.

Now multiply that by 21,000, which is the amount of students here at Cerritos. Three thirds of that will be paid off by the government but the rest is paid by the state.

This goes back to the core issue with this proposal: the two-year limit.

Most students here at Cerritos know that it is nearly impossible to get those ever-essential GE classes for transfer. The classes fill up quicker than geeks at a Star Wars convention. Some students have been here a semester or two longer just for that one class.

So if students go over that two-year stipend, they get stuck paying out of pocket with whatever financial aid is left over from budget allocated to the plan.

The effectiveness of this plan hinges on the fact that every student ever will only take two years to complete community college. While most come out of high school thinking we are only going to community college for two years, it is extremely unrealistic.

This plan runs into yet another problem: overcrowding. High school students looking for a cheaper alternative for education will flock to community colleges to get a free education. It would be even harder to sign up for those classes students need.

Despite these possible problems this is one plan that students should be excited for. It may be that this plan comes to fruition long after most of us are way past the community college years but it should be seen, even in its infancy, as a possible solution for our students.

Not just young students, but our adult and senior students. This plan is a long way from being effective but it is a step in the right direction.

But we must also, as a nation, take caution into plunging ourselves into foolhardy plans without thinking of the consequences. The path to a higher education and an intellectual society is a noble one, but we must take caution that in earning our intelligence, we don’t bankrupt our society.