Dear President,

As high schoolers approach graduation, many are worried about how they will pay to continue their education. According to The New York Times, “over the past 35 years, college tuition at public universities has nearly quadrupled”, and by the time I will be applying for colleges, it will cost even more than it does now. The Huffington Post talks about the Bennett Hypothesis and states: “According to this theory, throwing more public money, private money and loans into the pot to ensure college for all just motivates “greedy” schools to raise prices and thus never leave a single dollar on the table.” This is a big problem for teenagers in America, because many jobs require a degree of some sort. Without a degree, people can’t make as much of a living than if they were to have one. It has shown that those with a degree earn about 84% more than those without. If college tuition keeps increasing at this alarming rate, then how will the future of America prosper?

Ever since starting high school, I’ve become more aware of just how much education costs. As I am planning for my future, I have to take into account how I’m going to pay to earn a degree and how long I will have to live in student debt. This gives me another thing to stress about on top of never-ending school assignments, extra curriculars, and figuring out what I want to do with my life. My family is considered middle class, but we still struggle to find a way to afford education for three kids. No matter who you are, you should expect to live in some sort of student debt. Personally, I have tried to get as many college classes done in high school as possible, but my family still has to worry about how they will be able to afford these classes. FAFSA and scholarships often times will only make a small dent in the huge amount of money owed to a university.

The high price of tuition can impact all aspects of a person’s life. It has been shown that debt will follow college students for years and will even delay their lives. In an infographic titled “The Side Effects of College’, it shows that people now wait longer to settle in, buy a house, and have kids because of their debt. How far does it have to go before we can see a change? If we can reduce the cost of college, then more students will be able to settle down and not have to worry about if they are able to afford groceries or pay off their student debt.

Research has shown that the reason for the increasing prices have been due to inflation. Simply put, inflation is when money loses its value, therefore causing prices to rise. In the article “Higher Education Subsidies”, it talks about how inflation has been caused by an increase of student subsidies and has correlated with the public budget for education. It also states: “Tuition and other college costs have soared as subsidies have risen. It is matter of supply and demand. As more Americans have sought a college education, prices have been pushed up.” So, what can we do to make this stop? Can some budgets be cut in colleges and can we direct more money towards tuition costs for students? Some students may be able to cut costs by dual enrolling or going to a community college for two years, but a hefty price tag still comes with that.

This is why I am writing a letter to you, the future president, in hopes that our country can figure out a way to make education affordable. I believe that this is possible, and you have everyone’s support, we just need you to help make a difference.

Sincerely,

Hanna S.

Works Cited

Campos, Paul F. "The Real Reason College Tuition Costs So Much."The New York Times. The New York Times, 04 Apr. 2015. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

@DownsizeTheFeds. "Higher Education Subsidies." Downsizing the Federal Government. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

Haber, Jonathan. "Solutions to the High 'Freaking' Cost of College." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.

@SurvivinCollege. "Infographic: The Side Effects of College Costs | Surviving College." Campus Riot. N.p., 14 Feb. 2014. Web. 01 Nov. 2016.