My Message: Don’t Bind My Dreams With Debt

Patrick Hall

Dear future president,

College is expensive. Its lack of affordability binds me. I don’t want my list of colleges to be limited by what my family can and cannot afford. I don’t want to get accepted to my dream college, only to be forced to turn it down. I don’t want to worry about whether I will be able to attend college outside of San Diego, simply because of the cost of room and board.

Upon entering the adult world, I ask that I not be crushed by the weight of my debt; I want to continue to the next chapter of my life without being cornered by stress and worry and having my every step affected by my decision to pursue a higher education.

I don’t want to force my own financial burdens on my mom, who will have to take out loans to pay for my schooling, while still having two other daughters to support and to later put through college. It frustrates all of us. I will still be in school when the next one of us reaches this point in her life. Although she hasn’t yet realized how soon this will affect her, I don’t want to think about how my debt will shrink her window of opportunity further.

Sincerely,

Kate Sequeira

San Dieguito Academy

Carlsbad, Calif.