subject: Obama Scholarships Putting Education First [print this page] Obama Scholarships Putting Education First
For many people, a bright future starts with good education. Even before he became President, Barack Obama spoke about the need to make education a priority. Many important people are focused on increasing scholarship opportunities and improving education. For decades, college prices have steadily increased. Tuition and housing costs often far exceed scholarship offers. Unfortunately some students turn away from higher education because it's too expensive. Single moms are especially affected in a bad way. More education helps single mothers achieve on their jobs and take care of their families. More scholarships for single moms is one way to improve the situation. Although they are the same, many people refer to Federal Pell grants as Obama grants. To help with university costs, a student can earn more than $5,000. The primary goal is to encourage single moms to return to school, and by 2012 they could receive as much as $5,400. With these grants for moms, they can pay for tuition, books or any other school-related expenses. Another incentive to consider is the American Opportunity Tax Credit. With this tax program, the first $4,000 of community college or university expenses are free. This is a worthy incentive, especially for schools that are less expensive. A grant for a working mother as well as a tax credit can help fund much-appreciated educational advancement. Study options are wide open. Moms and students of all kinds can go to school with a little less to worry about. Increasing educational opportunity and performance is undoubtedly one of the President's goals. With the recent passage of the economic stimulus plan, a lot of college loans will be offered by the government. There is more government emphasis on properly preparing students for their future at all levels of education. There is also emphasis on encouraging more students to consider community college. A 2-year degree or the time spent learning a technical school from a community college can be a tremendous asset. In 2007 Obama stated, "We need to put a college education within reach of every American. That's the best investment we can make in our future." So far Obama's actions are backing up his words. Even though Obama's grants for moms get much attention they are certainly not the only important opportunity being offered. Traditional and non-traditional students alike have numerous opportunities to put their education first.
