Dear Future President,

As I am starting to think about what colleges I might attend in the future, I have noticed something that could prohibit someone from higher education. I have realized that college tuition and other expenses are out of control! I have had older siblings go through college and due to the expensive costs, some are still paying off school debt. I suggest that Congress and the next President meet to discuss what can be done to lower the cost of higher education, or provide more opportunities for funding college education.

I believe this issue should be addressed because as our society advances, higher education will be more of a requirement to make a living. Most jobs now require at least some sort of higher education, but many students are discouraged by the price that comes along with it. When comparing potential earnings with or without a college degree, it is easy to see a big difference in favor of college. For example, compare becoming a nurse practitioner to an aircraft assembler. The aircraft assembler does not require a college degree and makes a median salary of $49,762 per year, while a nurse practitioner can earn up to $92,000 a year with a master’s degree. I think that the government should consider more programs for debt forgiveness in order for others to achieve their dreams of higher education and higher wages.

I understand that one reason the costs have risen for higher education is because more schools are providing newer opportunities to many people, but some students are still restricted by the cost. After World War 2, the government decided to focus on making college more appealing to everyone. They built new buildings and programs in order to get more students to learn without increasing the price. The government wanted to make this service available to everyone to grow as a country. Since 1985, the cost of higher education has gone up 538% which makes higher education 4.5 times more expensive than it was 30 years ago. Even with most colleges offering loan opportunities, students still continue to pay back their debts many years after they have graduated. The average student debt in 2016 is $37, 172, this is a 6% rise from 2015. Abby Johnson, from Business Insider, researched the most expensive colleges and found that the Harvey Mudd College in California can cost as much as $209,532 for a four year Bachelor of Science program. Although these students can make $133,000 during the middle of their career, they will most likely be paying back their debt to the school for many years. I believe that the President should work with the government to improve scholarship opportunities for higher education and lower the burden of trying to pay back student loans.

Sincerely,

Samantha Ekleberry