I would like to bring to your attention the topic of free college education. As a High School student, I have to start thinking about my future, including planning for college, as will thousands of other students. Some people don’t have the same opportunities as I do. My goal is to make sure the seriousness of this issue gets recognized so we can make a change as soon as possible and make college free for all. 

Everyone should have equal opportunities to go to college, get a job, and make a positive contribution to our society. The worst part is that some students from low income families do have the grades to go to college, but they are denied that opportunity, because they don’t have the money. For example, “currently, only 30% of Americans who start college or university end up graduating, and this represents a huge waste of time and money.” (Samuels). This evidence is important because it shows how low the graduation rates are in the Unites States. It also states that the biggest reason why students drop out of higher education is because they cannot afford the high cost of tuition.

If college was free, students of all income levels could pursue higher education. This would allow the ability to fill better jobs and support the economy more effectively without having to worry about students loans. According to The Huffington Post, if all 18-24 year old's were in college, the unemployment rate would be reduced by 2 million people, and fewer people would be in need of government assistance. Free college would be economically beneficial and it would also reduce cycles of poverty.

Germany, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have tuition-free public colleges that have proven to make a positive impact on the economy and success of students. An important piece of evidence is, “A student, from California, decided to go to college in Estonia rather than the University of California. He’s saving more than 10,000 dollars a year on tuition and he’ll earn a bachelors degree in 3 years rather than 4 compared to the U.S.” (Lobosco). This shows how much more successful a place is that has free college compared to a place that doesn't have free college. How does this not sound appealing to any American student of low income? Although students have to pay for living expenses, their education is free which saves them money that they can use to support their future. Countries, such as Germany for example, do have free colleges for foreigners and provide several different English programs so that Americans, or any other English speakers, can still study at the same level as natural born citizens without having any set-backs or complications from not being able to speak the language. Many countries provide these English programs for foreigners to ensure the success of English speaking students.

Having free college in the United States would solve so many problems for the economy and for students. Tuition free education would lead to higher graduation rates, which would provide more jobs for people and get more people off of the streets. It would give people the chance to make a difference in our society. I hope you take all of this into consideration and start to make a change during your presidency. 

Sincerely,

Eva P.