Dear Future President,

College tuition has been one of the prime concerns for many high school students. Today, it is a common belief that it will be impossible to come up with the money to fund a college education. My mom and I even had a talk together about this. Before I started writing this letter we were going to defend that college tuition needed to be lowered, but when we started to research we found a different side of the story. As we dug deeper we decided to write a letter to you, our future president, about why college tuition doesn’t need to be lowered. When we started to find evidence she told me that at her college, Wisconsin Stout University, she didn’t even have to pay for her books as she only had to rent them. It was a cheap alternative to pay for a higher education. Now, she is successfully working as an Air Traffic Engineer at Lockheed Martin. This continues to support that tuition really isn’t a problem, but rather it is the problem you make of it. I personally believe, that your priority as future president is to let colleges raise or lower prices at their will, as it is not the tuition people are struggling with but rather the effects of the other essential problems America has not yet solved.

Students don’t understand that there are many ways to diminish these problems. For example, they could go to a cheaper college for their general classes, then later transfer to a high-end school for their major classes. Additionally, people could get this education somewhere else for a cheaper price, and maybe even with more benefits. Many are turning their backs on problem solving and looking at the bad instead of the good; but this mindset can be adjusted. After all it was Lincoln who said, “We can complain that rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” Statistics show that there are many other factors deterring students from colleges besides tuition.  Klein, an editor for the Huffington Post stated, “The report, which analyzed recent data from the U.S. Department of Education to glean its results, found that while 79 percent of high school graduates enroll in college by the age of 20, that number rises to 88 percent by the time former students reach age 26. However, the 12 percent who remain without a college education by age 26 tend to have certain characteristics in common. On average, non-college enrollees did worse in high school than their college-going counterparts. According to the NSBA analysis, they took less rigorous courses and had lower grade point averages.” Klein, Huffington Post “This Is Why 12% Of High School Graduates Don’t Go To College”. This proves that many people are just focused on cost, but they don’t realize that there are many other factors that affect this outcome; like supply and demand.

College teaches us many life lessons that prepare us for our futures. Now it is my job to give you the knowledge of an American citizen so you too can lead America into the right direction. Although the cost of college is putting many into debt, it can be payed off later once you get a high-paying job; a product of a quality education. “If I had $1,000 in my account, I felt like I had $1,000 left to spend. So before I started getting used to my fat paycheck, I mapped out my fixed expenses and student loan repayments with a quick, back-of-the-envelope budget. That gave me a better sense of what I could spend – and what I needed to do to accelerate my debt payments.”, was stated on the website, “How I Payed off 34,000 In Under 4 Years”. This demonstrates that part of paying back loans is dedication and financial understanding. If she can do this, anyone can. Secondly, “Colleges with healthy endowments have money for grants and typically don’t make most middle- or low-income families pay their sticker price. It helps if they are dealing with a superior student who has above-average grades and test scores, in addition to a stellar student resume” (Wasik, 9). This is crucial because once you do pay off your college debt, you have the ability to start a family, continue working at a job you enjoy, and get the responsibility and trust from your community to make the world a better place.  Furthermore, I knowingly believe that the money you pay towards college goes towards a better future for you and those who are around you. One website even stated, “Earning a college degree is such an important step in life that it has become a central part of the “American Dream”. Go to college, get a job, buy a house, raise a family. It may not always be that simple, but it all starts with your college education.” In addition, a quote found in the book Cultivating The Spirit stated, “It is based on a seven year study of how students change during the college years and the role that college plays in facilitating the development of their spiritual qualities ” (Astin & Astin, 1). These quotes both prove how important college is and how it can impact your life. Henceforth proving my claim that the money you pay towards college goes towards a better future. This is so vital to our world that college tuition shouldn’t be considered a problem, but a necessity. Education is too valuable to put a price on. In college you learn something that cannot be taught, and when you leave you make a difference in the world. The only fact I truly know is that education is more than just gaining knowledge from a textbook or something you read on a page, it is what one chooses to do with that knowledge.

Although college tuition isn’t the only factor, it does play a big role in students not attending college. College tuition is very expensive and many people don’t attend college due to these fundamentals. The website Undergraduate Charges stated, “Average published tuition and fees at private nonprofit four-year colleges and universities increased by 11% in 2015 dollars over the five years from 2010-11 to 2015-16, following a 14% increase between 2005-06 and 2010-11.” This proves that as income continues to rise, more people are not able to go to college. Plus, “We have so many students who have worked so hard to become eligible for a college education, to become all that their parents want them to be, all that we need them to be, but they can’t afford college.” (Harvard College, edited by US Congress, V.152 pt.16) . This is a great problem, but you must take into consideration that there are many other factors causing the drop in college attendees.

You must give people ways to come out of debt easily. Additionally, you must offer ways for colleges to logistically reduce prices. For example, you could have students rent books, allow them to have backup plans if they can’t fully pay off their debt, and give colleges more benefits that will support those who aren’t financially able to get back on their feet. This would help the UN Global Goals initiative- most closely relating to Goal 4- Education.  Giving people the ability to go to college doesn't just teach them about their professions, but also about how to deal with money and escalating world problems. Henceforth, sending the right people out into some of the most prestigious jobs. Tuition is a concern, but there are solutions, and students can overcome the rising costs with a little know-how.  

Sincerely,

Nina Langley

While 23% couldn’t go to college because of financial problems, the other 64% came from other causes.