State Representative Tony Payton recently introduced legislation that would make tuition to our public universities free to students who graduate high school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Pennsylvania’s average annual tuition and fees rank fifth highest among public, four-year colleges at $9,041, and 10th highest among private, four-year schools at $25,591, according to the College Board, a New York-based group that tracks college costs. The national average is $5,836 for public institutions and $22,218 for private ones.

Participants at the convention have practiced writing letters on college affordability and listened to testimonials from students steeped in debt.

“We want to make sure it’s not only getting a foot in the door, but also graduating and succeeding,” said Rebecca Thompson, the group’s legislative director and a May graduate of Northern Michigan University. The group had planned a march Tuesday to raise awareness of the issue of college affordability but canceled it because it lacked necessary permits.

Berkley, the incoming vice president of the group, grew up in Stanton Heights but moved with her mother to Georgia for five years. That made her an out-of-state student with nearly double the tuition of Pennsylvania residents.