Across the US - The United States is lagging behind when it comes to providing access to college. That's according to a study released Wednesday by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. If this problem isn't addressed, our country will continue to fall behind in the near future.

Colleges are already working on making their tuition lower, but the damage may already be done. Because these results show that our country's older population is better educated than the students in school now. We're a nation with high educational standards.

Danny Hamlin, Lynchburg College (web) student - "We sort of have to go to college in order to do something in this country."

And even higher financial expectations.

Alex Tomko, Lynchburg College student - "One of my best friends, she had to pay for college on her own so she constantly had many jobs over the summer."

Hillary Baird, Lynchburg College student - "I think it's getting expensive and some people just can't afford it... the way the economy is."

At a time when we're the poorest, tuition across the country has outpaced a family's ability to pay.

Michelle Davis, Office of Financial Aid - "I think over the last decade that's a trend that's continued to grow."

Lynchburg College's Michelle Davis says private school costs have increased five to six percent over the past several years. Meanwhile, the National Institute for Public Policy and Higher Education gave every state but California an F, when it comes to college affordability.

Davis - "We are obviously a nation that is not keeping up."

Fortunately, Davis says the country started making changes a few years ago. There's now a transparency list for college costs.

Davis - "Colleges will have to be accountable for cost increases."

Forcing institutions to cut back in other ways to stabilize tuition. But some students see a decade of high costs as a bad sign.

Temko - "I think our workforce will decrease."

Since the 1980's, college tuition and fees have increased by nearly 440 percent. The median family income only went up by 150 percent.

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