To the editor:

I am writing to you because I need to bring attention to the fact that college and higher education has become outrageously expensive. 

As a senior in high school, I have had first hand knowledge of just how expensive college has become and how the price of higher education has prevented some students from going to the school of their dreams and settle for somewhere they may be overqualified for and unhappy at.

This year, my friends and I all applied to colleges and had to make the tough decision of where to attend. Although the main factor in the decision for most was where they felt was the best fit depending on how their visits went, we all had to take into account how much each college costs.  

These days, colleges range anywhere from $30,000 to $60,000 annually, with some state schools with in-state tuition a bit lower (this was the average price range that I saw with the colleges I explored). Unfortunately, not everyone has the financial backing to pay for this, and can’t go where they’d like. As the prices for colleges keeps increasing, so does the number of people who can’t afford it, left in an awful predicament.

Because of this, colleges and universities need to be more affordable so that everyone is given a fair chance in going where they want. Over the last few years, college tuition has increased in price by 3.7 percent against the inflation increasing by 1.4 this year (Bloomberg), more than double the inflation. And that is this year alone. 

Bloomberg states that, “A decade ago, tuition and fees jumped 10.4 percent for in-state students at four-year public colleges and 5.8 percent at private schools.” 

This outrageous increase is not only unfair but unwarranted when compared against the inflation rate, so why stand for it? Why allow the higher education system become a business before a school that’s more interested in catering to those who can pay while leaving the rest behind?

One of the best concepts in helping students pay for college is financial aid. At some places, financial aid can be completely in the form of a grant and make college extremely affordable. But this is only a select few institutions, mostly in the Ivy league. Many schools give much smaller amounts of financial aid and in the form of loans that need to be paid back. 

So, with financial aid loans, the problem is only pushed into the future, when the student has to deal with ever lasting student loans. The government and other organizations need to speak up for those who can’t afford these prices and give everyone an equal opportunity to attend college.

Altogether, the problem is evident and unacceptable. It’s unethical to allow these tuitions to keep students from attending the college of their dreams and to allow the inequality gap to grow, and someone needs to speak up. 

Sam Barmann

Barrington