Garrett Harrell

777 Boulevard
Ponca City, OK 74601

Donald Trump
US President
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

March 12, 2019

President Trump,

Why do middle-class citizens have to suffer the most to attain higher education? We are the ones
struggling to stay afloat in the ocean of bills and a tilted economy. It seems to be proven that
middle-class citizens do not receive the assistance that is needed to reach the goals of the
“American standard” by completing college. Hopefully, I can give you enough information about
this problem that might help you make a reasonable decision for helping the middle-class earn
their college degree.

Financial assistance for higher education is one of the greatest things about this country. It
provides help for citizens who cannot afford to pay the outrageous college prices. ​"Schools do
price discriminate," said Trinity Economics Professor David Macpherson. "If you're
academically superior or lower income, you're going to get a bigger discount." Grants and
scholarships are a great opportunity for someone to better themselves, if you are considered a
lower-income citizen.​ ​"There were times when my parents took out loans for groceries," Becker
said. "That was a really tough time for us and that impacted their ability to save up for my
college."

Although everyone in American has the right to higher education, only a select few qualify for
assistance. Those with lower incomes tend to get paid for higher education, whereas, those who
might be a little more successful have to struggle the college fund and their normal bills.
Caroline Preston says, “​A four-year degree isn’t guaranteed to land you in middle-class comfort,
in other words.” She also states, “Bottom line: Until economists solve the wage stagnation
puzzle, or policy makers embrace bold steps like free college, students will continue to face
intense pressure to pick carefully when it comes to institution, financial aid package, college
major and career path.”

I have experienced this struggle myself. I tend to work a minimum of fifty hours a week to
provide for my family and keep a roof over our heads. On top of all that, I am trying to better
myself by attaining a college degree. This is a struggle because I did not receive assistance. I
have not received a scholarship nor a grant for help. That is a major problem considering I am
struggling with the college fees. ​“They are getting squeezed on both ends because they barely
miss Pell Grants and they are not the types of students getting grants from colleges themselves,”
said Robert Kelchen.

Mr. Trump, do you see the point of view from the middle-class? It would be an honor to hear
back from you. I would like to know where you stand on this matter. Maybe, the both of us can
tackle this problem together. I would love to assist you in coming up with a solution on how we
can better benefit the middle-class on higher education assistance.

Sincerely,

Garrett Harrell
 Works Cited
“When a College Degree Is No Longer a Ticket to the Middle Class.” ​The Hechinger Report​, 6
Feb. 2019,
hechingerreport.org/when-a-college-degree-is-no-longer-a-ticket-to-the-middle-class/.
Molina. “Middle Class Struggles the Most in Pursuit of Higher Education.” ​WOAI,​ 17 Oct. 2018,
news4sanantonio.com/news/local/middle-class-struggles-the-most-in-pursuit-of-higher-e
ducation.
Selingo, Jeffrey J. “Can the Middle Class Afford College?” ​The Washington Post​, WP Company,
8 May 2017, www.washingtonpost.com