The cost of college (“College debt gloom grows,” Aug. 9) is very expensive, depending on where a student chooses to go and is accepted to attend. Everyone would benefit from a less-expensive or free education, and we do feel badly for those with staggering student loans.

However, someone has to pay the bill because an education is not free. Our national debt is $18 trillion and growing every day, so don’t expect the federal government to pay the bill, and it’s fiscally irresponsible for any member of Congress to make promises or commitments to spend more money that we don’t have and can’t afford.

Students need the proper guidance to choose a college that’s affordable based on their ability to pay, along with scholarship opportunities. There’s no constitutional right to be able to attend college and to attend at the expense of others. No one is making a student attend a college that costs $30,000 per year or more if the student can’t afford it.

Students should make a wise, well-informed decision on a school. Begin with a local, community college and live at home if they need to. They should ask themselves if they want to incur and graduate with a lot of student loan debt. If they think their education is worth it, they shouldn’t expect others to bail them out after the fact. It was their decision.

Dennis Lovejoy

Fairborn, Ohio

Formerly of Augusta