Dear Mr. President,

In your critical policy planning decisions, as a student I ask you to acknowledge my opinion on the following topic. Obviously, college tuition is extremely expensive. Many are debating a possible solution, and unfortunately, tuition-free college has been a popular one.

Although it seems a simple and attractive solution, free college tuition presents many larger issues. In the article, The Trouble with Hillary Clinton’s Free Tuition Plan” on nytimes.com, the author states, “The policy would be an unlimited bonanza for colleges and a huge drain on the Treasury, for a program already estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars per year” (Carey). This quote illustrates the issues with Hillary’s policy ideas by highlighting the possible after effects. Not only will this possible policy affect the national debt, but the policy will also “...guarantee that the children of any family [in] this country with an annual income of $125,000 a year or less — 83 percent of our population — will be able to go to a public college or university tuition-free” (Kamenetz). This does not properly showcase the hardworking citizens of America. If families are working hard for their salary, this should not become a punishment. Free tuition will only be a gateway to the laziness that is already inching its way into the typical American’s life.

Student debt isn’t always directly rooted in the lack of opportunity or sky-high prices that we may initially believe. Not every person is born for college and many succeed without it. I agree with Valerie Strauss when she states in an article from thewashingtonpost.com, “... methods to help students get their money’s worth are available and cheap…”(Strauss). Valerie takes a turn on the issue, focusing on the problem of students wasting their money on college and dropping out because of a lack of studying or bad studying habits. Imagine if all types of students attended college because it was free. This might even prevent more students from succeeding in this way.

Some argue that free tuition gives many the opportunity to attend colleges that they would not otherwise be given. However, as you know, America is still the land of opportunities, and sometimes we Americans forget that these opportunities are not given for free, they are earned with hard work.

Thank you,

Kristy Erway