Dear Next President,

Some Americans are robbed of their ability to move up in the world and be able to improve their lives or their family’s lives. This is the “Land of Opportunity,” but for many students struggling financially, the name is a lie. Students who are members of low-income families should have the same opportunity as students who are more prosperous. Higher education should be more attainable to those who are determined to improve their lives and are willing to work hard in order to attain their career of choice.

The cost of going to college is very expensive and it’s seen in the large student debt within the nation. Based on the website “Student Loan Saver,” there are many, about 44.2 million students, who are carrying the burden of college debt. As a nation we owe more than $1.2 trillion in student debt. These alarming statistics highlight the high cost of attending college. An individual can easily be deterred by the cost of colleges which averages to about $32,000 per year at private colleges. If that individual plans to attend the same college for four years, he will be spending more than $100,000. Many low-income families will struggle to pay off this value, therefore students who are capable of improving their lives are not able to do so due to the fact that they are not able to pay that college price-tag. They are capable of doing the necessary work, but are not capable of paying off the debt. The youth are the future of America; these costs need to be lowered in order for our future to be full of highly intelligent, diverse, and creative individuals who were able to attain a college education. My president, this needs to change.

The job market is becoming increasingly competitive when it comes to companies choosing the people who will work for them. Most of the careers many people desire require a college education, but, as established before, if a person is not capable of paying the costs of college, she will not be able to work in the field that she desired to work in. It seems like the only way for people to get the career they want is to be a member of a prosperous family. The wealthy are able to choose their jobs and get wealthier, while the less prosperous continue on the road of financial struggle because they are not able to get a career that provides sufficient payment. The two groups, the wealthy and the less wealthy, seem to be stuck in a never ending cycle; the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. My president, this needs to change.

The lack of college education, in most cases, prevents an individual from reaching his goals and aspirations. It creates an absence of mobility within the social structure. The “Land of Opportunity” is not doing well to uphold its name. My president, this needs to change. For many people, college is the main path to success in this rapidly modernizing world; Without college, can one really reach her full potential?