As part of their AP U.S. Government studies, Marshfield High School students researched and compiled information on an issue they cared about and wrote letters to the editor. Hub City Times will publish a collection of their letters.

Dear editor,

I would like to inform you that I am a high school student attending Marshfield High School and have hopes to some day go to college. My selection of colleges is narrow due to out-of-state tuition. Therefore, the wish of pursuing a career and/or receiving education from a particular college that offers it may be hindered because of the tuition.

However, the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) — between the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin — helps to relieve some of the out-of-state tuition cost and provide more affordable opportunities for students to attend out-of-state institutions. Students can typically save between $500 and $5,000 annually, which can encourage more of them to attend different colleges.

Overall, I am proposing the creation of more compacts between states with even more affordable costs, similar to the MSEP, to not only lower the costs but aid in improving access to different colleges in several states. Please take this proposal into important consideration for it will benefit not only myself but millions of other students.

Kaydee Johnson