Dear Mr. or Mrs. President,

On behalf of myself an about 43 million college student borrowers around the nation, I would like to provide a few details to support my request in the improvement of the ever increasing state of student debt; statistics show Americans owe roughly $1.3 trillion in student loan debt. Periodically, plans have been launched by representatives to cut Pell Grants for students. Student debt is one of the biggest crises in this country right now and something has to be done to alleviate this issue. Possibilities and opportunities of this country are being limited by crippling citizens before they even have a chance at the world.

I am Tory Rollins, a high school senior in the town of Ferriday, Louisiana. Upon graduating, in the spirit of staying close to home and not having to see those impossible out-of-state tuition costs, I plan to first attend Hinds Community College for basics, then off to Mississippi State University to continue until I achieve my Masters in Agriculture Education. Afterwards, with the hope to find a job in my field, I will have the pleasure of already being in tremendous debt, having received an $88,318 education. The subjects in which I chose to get my degree, agriculture and education, are two very important developmental necessities in our country. After all isn’t that what you hear about growing up, the American dream of getting an education in a field you are passionate about and saving the world? Not to go about collecting thousands in debt over a period of five years.

 University tuition fees rise each year and appear to grow at a steady rate. This vicious cycle is only magnified by the constant increasing interest that is tagged onto this already alarming sum of debt in which, we can only see paying on until our very last breath.  Government grants and support for postsecondary education have not kept pace with the increasing college costs, shifting the burden of college tuition to families instead of federal and state governments. Low wages and possible unemployment after graduation keep many from being able to make their basic repayments on student loans which weakens the economy by damaging credit, disallowing the ability of citizens to spend and save for the future, and lack of resources to move on to better paying jobs. This only perpetuates the cycle because these adults are not able to put aside money for their children’s college education causing more student debt. 

 Education is irreplaceable and many people are choosing to either bypass college because of the price or they drop out to avoid the overwhelming increasing debt. Family incomes have been flat since 2000 causing students to borrow more money or enroll in lower-cost colleges which, is responsible for the decline in the attainment of bachelor degrees in low-to-moderate-income families. Obtaining a job with a bachelor’s degree is a somewhat difficult task, especially depending on the area of your residence, and even ten times harder without an education. Area is also a determining factor in one’s salary, southwest Mississippi is not the leading provider of increased income. So in order to get a good paying job you have to go to college, but you work your whole life to pay off the education you worked to get.

 Something to consider first is raising awareness of college spending and strengthen student loan counseling. Increase government grants and federal aid to better correspond with the increase of tuitions. Implement better work-study programs, which allow undergraduates and graduate students to pay for their college or career school. Students should be better informed of fully-funded scholarships available to them and the requirements of obtaining said scholarships. Offer incentives for students to pursue much needed growth areas such as education and agriculture. Most importantly, increase wages so lower income families can pay for these much needed college degrees.

Sincerely,

Tory Rollins