Dear Future President,

College tuition prices have reached an all time high as they have inflated at a rate of approximately six to nine percent per year. Rising college tuition prices are affecting our population drastically. People who want to extend their education can’t afford the rising prices of college tuition. Sandy Baum, a scholar at George Washington University said, “It’s not just that low-income families are having trouble paying for college, but families that are on top. Even though they are better off, they still are feeling the pinch because they haven’t seen their real incomes rising.”

Students pay on average 38 percent more for college tuition than they did a decade ago. Everyone should have the ability to have a good education but with the rising price of college tuition, not everyone gets to have that chance. Students who enrolled in four-year state schools this year still paid three times more than they did in 1985.

Students are not able to pay for the rising prices which can put them into student debt which can take a long time to pay off. There are more college drop-outs because they can not afford to stay in college and get their education. Borrowing is declining because enrollment is slipping. The average cost of a new textbook rose from $57 in 2008 to $82 in 2015.

As a student planning on going to college in a few years, I am worried about the expenses that come along with college in return of expanding my education. How much is it going to cost? How long will it take to pay off student loans? Many students going into college ask these questions. People who have student loans, sometimes makes them push back future plans because they are still paying off student loans.

More things should be included with college tuition such as books, room and board, food, etc. Having more thing included with one payment would save a lot of money for college students so they don’t have to pay $100,00 for example just to get into college and then pay $300 per book which can add up quickly.

Other countries are passing us on the education line. The United States falls 12th in the world for young adults with a college education. Many countries around the world like Korea, Japan, Norway and even Russia don’t have to pay for college, it is publicly funded and they have a higher education system.

The price of college should not rise because not only does it affect future students but it affects our economy. When comparing the current college students to their parents generation, the demand for a college education is dramatically greater due to the need of a college degree in order to receive a stable and comfortable job today.

Sincerely,

Mataya P.