Dear Mr. or Madam President:

College tuition has been continuously rising over the past few decades. The cost of college is affecting college-age students across the United States who are having to pay for their education. Some people believe that college education should be free for the American people. Other people believe that college tuition is reasonable. Some, however, do not agree with either of these statements. Some people believe that the rapidly increasing tuition is a problem, yet they do not completely agree that tuition should be free. Due to the rise in the cost of tuition, many deserving students are unable to continue their education beyond high school. College tuition is too high at public colleges and universities.

I am a seventeen year old high school senior who is looking to attend college in the fall of 2017. Like many high schoolers, I am worried about how much college is going to cost. Many people are relying on scholarships, loans, and help from their parents. I, though, will have to strictly rely on scholarships and loans to pay for my college education.

The cost of college is becoming a major issue for the American people. Some believe that the cost of tuition is due to inflation and should be the price it is now. Others believe that college education should be free. I do not agree with either of these views. I believe that college tuition is quickly increasing and is becoming unaffordable for some students, and the cost of tuition should be controlled. According to the U.S. Department of Education, "Over the past three decades, tuition at four-year colleges has more than doubled, even after adjusting for inflation" (ed.gov). A college degree has become a necessity for most jobs, but if the cost of college keeps increasing, some people may not be able to afford the extra years of school.

Students can receive grants or apply for loans in order to help them pay for their college education. However, these grants and loans are not always sufficient. According to U.S Department of Education's article on college education, "the maximum Pell Grant in 2015 [covered] only about 30 percent of the cost of a four-year public college education" (ed.gov). Some may argue that thirty percent is a large portion of the cost if the student is also able to get scholarship offers. If the student is unable to receive scholarships, academic or athletic, thirty percent of the cost of a four year university may not be enough. These students will have a large amount of debt after college.

Debt after college is a result of the cost of college. The website Procon.org, whose articles are written by a group of researchers and editors, observes that "the average student borrower graduated in 2011 with $26,600 in debt." The average cost of college for state residents is known to be about $9,410 per year. This means the student would pay $37,640 over the course of four years. If the average debt is $26,600, then scholarships on average would only cover $11,040 for a student. The student would have loans to cover the rest of his or her tuition. The loans taken out would cause the student to go into debt. The debt would have to be repaid throughout the student's life.

I do not know how to fix the problem of the rising cost in college tuition or the extreme debt students suffer after college, but there have been a few proposals. The U.S. Department of Education states, "Earlier this year, [President Obama] unveiled his America's College Promise proposal to make two years of community college free" (ed.gov). Many jobs now require skills that a high school graduate may not have. The America's College Promise proposal would allow high school students to continue their education for two more years in order to gain the necessary basic skills for the workforce. The basic skills learned in the two years at a community college would allow the students to be more successful in their future jobs. People have also made the suggestion of making college free. Students would no longer have to pay for the extensive years of college which would make one think that free college is a great solution to college students' debt. Free college for every student would cause other problems with the United States' economy because the government and tax payers would be paying for everyone's college education. Again, I am not sure what is the right solution to the rise in the cost of college, but I am sure that it is causing problems for young Americans.

Bekah