To begin solving the problem she had defined, Jennie Tillson created a cluster map. Jennie used the situation/effects questions to explore causes, effects, and potential solutions to the problem of rising college tuition.

Jennie’s cluster map helped her lay out potential solutions for students from poor and working-class families. With that in mind, she used freewriting to generate ideas that might solve that aspect of the problem.

The most viable option might be voting. People can vote for tax reform to make it easier for kids from poor families to attend college. People can vote to increase funding for higher ed. They can vote to set up rainy-day funds for colleges. They can make colleges set aside money for hard times. These things can help lower the real cost of college tuition, even if tuition still continues to rise.