Dear President Biden, 

I am extremely grateful for your forgiveness of $10,000 in student loan debt, but I wonder: can this amount truly “forgive” most student debt after four years of college? Average university tuition can cost up to $30,000 per year, and in many cases, more than that. With that in mind, how can $10,000 be enough to aid the average college student in the United States?

The burden of student debt holds many Americans back in their education, career and even personal lives. Some students will be able to obtain $20,000, but that only applies to those who have loans held by the Pell Grant. Not to mention, this forgiveness plan only applies to federal student loans, not private student loans. 

This “forgiveness” also only applies to current student debt – not the millions of people who will struggle to pay off their debts in the future. Knowing that I may never get the chance for any type of  “forgiveness” creates a sense of fear for my own future. Even if the time frame changes, my main concern still surrounds the lack of money this plan compensates.

A law student can have up to $200,000 in student debt, so will $10,000 really impact this absurd amount? The small amount of money this plan forgives remains the reason many, including myself, have questions about it. Raising the amount forgiven and taking away the time limit on this plan may be the first step in helping our future generations have a successful life after college. 

I thank you for your efforts to try and help college students, but I ask, for our struggles, to shine a light on the future changes made to this plan. Try to put yourself in the shoes of students and realize the grasp student debt has on all students, not just the ones who have already been through college.