It is not a surprise to anybody preparing to attend college that it is expensive. However, money is starting to become more of a deciding factor than education. It is so much of a deciding factor that the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago found about three quarters of Americans don’t attend college simply due to the cost. The same survey also states that around 29 percent of Americans do not go to college because no other family members have previously attended.

These statistics in the eyes of high school students can make attending college seem even more daunting than it already is and students may not even apply. I believe it is important that everyone who wants to attend college has the opportunity to. I don’t feel that it is right for these opportunities to only be available to families who are wealthier than others.

There are a few organizations looking to lessen these financial difficulties ,including the Federal Student Aid program which provides grants, loans, and work-study funds from the government to eligible students enrolled in college or career school. However, this isn’t always enough support for students to cover the cost of attending college.

Students can take out loans, but there is a high chance that they will generate a large amount of student debt. This is something I had to think about when I was deciding on a college. It was annoying because I had to think about how much student debt I wanted to be in rather than thinking about where I will get the best education. It also made me realize how different the money aspect is for colleges in the U.S. when compared the rest of the world. I was considering colleges abroad, and the average tuition was around half of what it would cost to attend school in Illinois.

I ultimately am staying in the U.S. for my next four years of college. However, this process made me feel like colleges didn’t value me as a person, but instead another number in the system. I am annoyed that, to be conventionally successful in the modern workforce, you need to have a college degree, which is not an opportunity for everyone. I hope colleges can lower their tuition so more kids have the opportunity to attend college and obtain their desired post-secondary education. This process is flawed since it doesn’t allow everyone an equal financial opportunity to receive the post-secondary education they truly want, and to improve their chances at getting a stable job. I doubt that this will get fixed within the next decade, but I do think it is possible. I really hope that kids in the future won’t have to decide between money and the education they dreamt of.