Francisco M. California

Free Education For Low Income Students

Many brilliant high school students who are accepted in various colleges and universities face the struggle of not being able to afford the overpriced cost of a higher education. Students either have to drop out or go to a local community college instead a prestigious college or university of their choice. It is unfair for the students who put in sweat and tears during their high school years to be hindered by an obstacle so out of their control like college costs. Student debt has proved to be ineffective as many students still have to constantly pay even after college graduation as their debt can be incredibly high. The only way to set students towards the future and towards a better life is to either make college more affordable to low income students or make it completely free to the public.

Dear New President:

I, as many others, am among a small minority group raised by Mexican parents living through poverty and struggle. My family came to this country for a better future and in order to achieve a successful career I  study at a successful charter high school.  Now in my senior year, I am now starting to look at my future in college and at my career. However, the only thing that limits me from going to any prestigious colleges is the cost. College tuition is incredibly more expensive than it should be and is treated more like a luxury than a privilege. I believe college is a necessity in order to have a stable and successful role in this country.  In order to achieve this necessity we need to provide this opportunity to everyone by either lowering the cost of college for low income students or making college education totally free.

According to Ben Casselman's article “The Economic Guide to pick a College Major,” people that do not invest in college and drop out after high school earn roughly the same if not more than most college graduates.  This shows that sacrificing time and money in student loans is not worth it.  This is not fair considering that many college graduates are in debt and might have possibly wasted their time in college. In order to avoid this injustice to spend a lot of money for a college degree that may or may not get you a decent job depending on your major, we should just make college education free just as at the K-12  grade levels.  An affordable, even free, college education gives us all an equal opportunity to work in a successful career.

We all deserve a chance to gain a good education, and it can only be done if we give minorities aid in college.  Otherwise, just make it free for all to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to obtain a crucial higher education. High college costs have only slowed down the process of learning and experience for many hardworking young people, especially for many  minority students who can’t pursue or complete a degree due to college costs.  I hope you take all this into consideration because I have seen countless friends and family members struggling due to their student loans or even teachers who still continue to pay on their student loans. All this is something that could have been avoided if education was more affordable. I thank you for taking the time to read this letter, and I hope you really take this into consideration. Many people depend on education to escape their old life of poverty, but the cost of college is pushing away young minds from achieving their goal.

Sincerely,

Francisco Martinez

The Preuss School UCSD

Block 8

AP English Lit & Comp, B Day

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