Pell Grant Persuasive Essay

One evening in 2007, Jan Yonder noticed that her son, Jason, appeared to be more crestfallen than usual. Jason had been a graduate student in organic chemistry at Illinois State University; however, he struggled to find a job in his field after incurring $100,000 in student loan debt. Later that night, Jason disappeared from the family home, and concerned, his mother went to go look for him on campus. Jason’s body was later found in one of the chemistry labs, and thirty-two minutes later, Jason was declared dead as a result of nitrogen asphyxiation (Johannsen).
Although rising college tuition does not appear to be a matter of utmost importance to most people, it is extremely relevant to current students and their families. Before investigating further into this issue, it is crucial to consider the significance of education in today’s society. Statistically, a person who does not graduate from high school earns $23,452 on average which is considerably less than the United …show more content…
A Pell grant consists of money that the government provides for students who need it to pay for college. These grants, unlike loans that most students are forced to take out, do not have to be repaid, and eligible students receive a specified amount each year. Many believe that the government should consider increasing Pell grants for first generation college students as well as for students who are in grave need financially. This is critical because it would allow students to graduate college without an overwhelming debt looming over their shoulders. Even though the Pell grant increased recently in 2014, according to the College Board, the grants for the 2014-2015 school year did not cover even a third of the average college tuition at public four-year universities (Kingkade). Taking this into consideration, many believe it is high time that the number and amount of money in Pell grants