Dear Future President,

As college tuition continues to increase, is raises the question: Can I afford to go to college? Many people are forced to either live years in debt or not pursue a higher education at all. As students give up many things to attend college, the expenses are a huge setback.

Going to college is a dream that strives to improve our society. However, students have to tackle many obstacles to achieve their dream. Even after hours of studying to pass every test, and going to counselors for SAT guidance, the worries never seem to end. Not only do students have to deal with a more competitive acceptance rate, they also have to think about how far they want to get into their education for their desired field. Additionally, students also always have to worry about something they cannot always control: college tuition.

I, myself, plan on attending medical school which would include 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school as well as many years of residency and specialization. Knowing my pathway to becoming a doctor somewhat scares me. It is not the amount of hard work I would have to put in that intimidates me, but the amount of money it would cost. On average, a 4 year college would cost from $9,410 to $32,405 per year. For those who want to pursue an even higher education such as the medical field, it would cost an additional $50,000 per year. That totals to over $300,000 of expense. Not only do medical students have thousands of dollars of debt, they also do not get higher paying jobs until years after completing their education. It worries me to think of how much debt my family and I would accumulate just to be able to pay for college. It makes me think about whether my dream is actually worth it?

Imagine how many people feel the same way? How many decide to change their career to something they don't completely enjoy? How many parents feel as if it is their fault that their child is not able to pursue their dream only because they were not able to pay for college? This is not acceptable. Nobody should be prevented from making a decision that will have such a big impact on their entire life. If the cost of college would be reduced, more people would be motivated to actually attend college regardless of how much money they have, because obtaining a degree should depend on hard work and intelligence. 

In the United States, there are 44.2 million Americans currently in a debt totaling to 1.26 trillion dollars. People try to go to college to get a good job and earn money in the future, not to accumulate debt. Market Watch shows give a chart of how student loan debt is constantly increasing.

Though there are already ways to try and combat college tuition, including scholarships and financial aid, they are not applicable to everyone. Among students attending college, only 0.3% received scholarships to completely pay for college and 8.3% received partial scholarships. That being said, those who do not qualify as being low income, do not receive financial aid. The average income household would have no choice but to pay full college tuition unless their student is awarded a scholarship. The current system does not benefit everybody. 

Therefore, the government should increase their funding for colleges. Not only will this help students and colleges, it will also help society as a whole. Those who have pursued a high education will have more opportunities to make a difference in the world. There will be new inventions, cures to diseases, or even architectural wonders.

So, Mr./Ms. President, I would like to request the lowering of college tuition to help students everywhere. Please give them the opportunity to go to college and have a great future.

Sincerely,

Shriya