The cost of college in the United States is at an all time high, according to the Institute of Education Studies. The rising cost of college tuition is detrimental to the future wellbeing of our nation, and is a problem that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.

The importance of a college educated society is huge. The better educated our country is, the better prepared we are to tackle the problems that our generation faces. However, the large price tag of such an education is deterring many from pursuing such an asset from fear of large amounts of debt.

This is a valid concern among the youth of today, and in many instances, it’s a better decision to skip college and enter the workforce immediately. This needs to be changed. Only 65.9 percent of 2013 high school graduates enrolled in college, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is far too low.

In order to create a functional, successful generation of minds, we need to have more students attend college. For many, this simply isn’t possible with the high cost of an education. If college costs were lowered, we would see a rise in enrollment and thus a rise in graduates ready to take on the responsibilities of our generation.

It’s up to colleges themselves to see this issue and set aside their desires for higher endowments in order to help create a better America. Lowering their costs would not only boost their attendance but also allow them to contribute to the future generations.

This issue is essential in the future success of our nation, and must be addressed quickly, before the youth lose faith in the idea of higher education completely.