Dear Next President,

I am writing out of concern about the rising costs of college tuition. All of my life, I have considered education to be America’s great equalizer. We are taught in school that anyone who tries hard enough to obtain the American Dream can achieve it. However, college tuition is increasing rapidly, outpacing inflation, and is rising disproportionate to the cost of living, according to the CNBC article, “Why college costs so much.” The result of this rapid increase in the costs of college education is that it is making the American Dream unattainable. Getting ahead in the current economic climate seemingly has less to do with a person’s work ethic and more to do with being born to a wealthier family.

For some of the lucky few aspiring college students who have parents that are willing to finance their education, attaining a career, starting a family, buying one’s first home, all markers of achieving the American Dream, comes a lot easier. For students born into lower income families, who cannot count on their parents or trust funds to finance their education, attaining the American Dream is a a lot more difficult. Due to the fact that college is no longer affordable without taking out loans, many students who do graduate college are saddled with debt that may take them decades or their entire lives to pay back. Students that must pay for their own college tuition often must take out loans. Students who come from wealthier families seem to have easier access to a college degree. beyond the average Concern about health of students, youth, who ultimately become the leaders of our society. According to the Campus Riot article, “Tuition Talk: Side Effects of College Costs”, 40% of students postpone buying a house due to debt. Debt is also an impediment to students getting married, having kids, and even having a medical procedure done, according to Chris Pumphrey, who wrote the Campus Riot article.

Some students are dropping out of college due to the cost of college and their student loans. Many college graduates have to move back home to live with their parents after they graduate, and those that don’t often live on tight budgets, according to Pumphrey.

Some students are not ready for college, and have to take one or more remedial courses. They have to spend more time in college for this, and therefore more money. Other students attend college where the quality of the education is less than that of other schools. These students have significantly lower chances of graduating, according to Pumphrey.

Students have lots of issues associated with college tuition, student loans, and debt. The American Dream is becoming unattainable for the majority of the US. Please consider these things and do something about it.

Sincerely,

E. C.