We attend an educational institution whose purpose is to be accessible to all. By “all,” I mean those with disabilities, those with limited incomes, those who are unfamiliar with the English language, those who did badly in high school and have no other options, and anyone else.

Though I personally have the highest respect for community colleges, this college is accessible to all because it does not offer something that universities do: a four-year degree. You get what you pay for, and if you can’t pay for four years at a four-year university, you don’t get it. 

Many of those who struggle in high school are victims of a system that is incredibly inflexible. Those who live in areas where schools are underfunded are unlikely to receive anything resembling a well-rounded education. There are high school graduates who can barely read, for the same reason: school funds are based on property taxes meaning poor schools in poor areas, meaning those with limited funds receive a limited education. 

People with a degree get paid more than people without one; this is why people get degrees. From there, people with higher paying jobs and a wider variety of offers go on to generally have more of an income.

Of course there will always those who achieved the “American dream” and, through perseverance and dedication, managed to get top grades, received financial aid, graduated from a four-year university and landed a well-paying job. But these people are exceptions, exceptions which we idolize and then somehow also normalize. Family, health, ethnicity, learning style and any number of other factors interfere with our linear perception of how life runs its course. 

I say it’s not important whether or not it’s possible to escape poverty. If you work hard enough to fight your way out of poverty, wouldn’t it be nice if the world, instead of challenging you, lent you a hand? Wouldn’t it be nice if people could dream the American dream of having the freedom to pursue a career in order to return their valuable work and effort to a society that helped them become such an asset?