The cost of education in the United States is a major social injustice issue; many citizens will never be able to afford a college-level degree.

A college education is associated with the quality and health of a human being’s life. Some countries have successfully implemented universal education, where their citizens may obtain degrees at all levels at little to no cost.

The United States is one of the most expensive places to go to college. This makes it hard to advance in a career with the burden of debt.

All individuals deserve the opportunity to pursue school without socioeconomic status, health and social injustices causing barriers.

Tuitions continue to increase across the board for graduate studies, raising concerns for affordability and access to graduate education. One solution to avoiding the high American college cost is attending school north of the border, or not obtaining a degree at all and therefore limiting your career path.

So the question is, what’s the difference between attending college and becoming tens and hundreds of thousands in debt or not attending university at all, if your socioeconomic status or the way you live remains equivalent?

Reducing tuition and making it affordable to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees will not only increase the number of students attending colleges – therefore increasing university income and competition – but also will increase job opportunities and socioeconomic status across the country.

Katherine Connolly

Portland