Dear Future President,

College kids and parents every year have a hard time with money because of college tuition. Kids hopes and dreams are being stopped and interrupted because they can’t go to a good college because of the price. There is a whopping 1.3 trillion dollars of student loans in America. College tuition must be lowered in order for people to achieve their hopes and goals in life.

College used to be affordable. An average 4 year university in 1983 cost was $3,433 (including books, housing, etc.). The average American income was 15,239. Obviously, this seems affordable and looks easy enough to pay off. Skip to 2016, the average 4 year university is $22,000, and the average American income is $51,939. So, in 1983, 22 percent of the income is college costs. In comparison to 2016, 42% of the average income is being spent on college costs. As you can see, this increase is ridiculous, and it is very hard for a family to afford these college costs.

I have a personal experience with college costs, as my brother recently went to college. He went to Colorado State University where a 4-year scholarship for him was $32,000. Obviously this is a lot of money and my parents are having a hard time keeping up with it. Especially since they still have to pay for all of my stuff as well. Seeing the experience of high college costs in my life really opened my eyes. In summary, because college is 32,000 dollars for my brother it has really changed my life because my parents have to hold off on spending a lot of money.

In other parts of the world like France, education is free. It’s not as easy as it sounds though. In France you have to pass a very hard test to get into a college. If you do pass the test, then you can go to college free. I think America should incorporate this idea. It makes students really study and try in high school so they can get rewarded and go to college free. A lot of students in America just breeze through high school because it is easy for them. Then, when all these colleges want them sometimes they can’t afford it. This is why the French technique is so much better. If you're smart you should be rewarded by going to a good college for free. The technique also allows poor people to have a chance to get an education. I think the idea that if you really try and study for the test then you get rewarded is really good for young adults to try and achieve.

The last point I want to make is that presidents want everyone to get a good education. This is impossible for poorer people. Young, smart minds are being lost because of the price of college. So many students a year want to go to a good college because they think they have potential but then all these costs come in and it’s just too much to afford. So, next president, if you really want more people to succeed and go to college in this world then should think about lowering college costs.

In conclusion, either college prices must be dropped or we must change to the French education technique. People have hopes and dreams to go to college but they can’t. Next president, this has to change. Seeing my brother go to college made me realize it had to change.

Thanks, TLP