subject: Obama Scholarships: Money to Help You Attend College [print this page] It's widely accepted that education is important to having a successful future. President Obama is a good example, and he has shown his commitment to helping others. Grants and scholarships are just the beginning of efforts to try to make over higher education. College expenses continue to increase even as the economy slumps. Besides tuition and housing, fees for books, travel and eating are often not covered. Many potential students suffer and are unable to afford to go to college. Single moms are especially affected in a bad way. To put more educated minds in the workforce and ensure that families are cared for, it's important to educate moms. It's important to the President and that's why he's implemented a program for scholarships for mothers. Because of his efforts many people now refer to Federal Pell Grants as Obama grants. In the 2009-2010 school year, students could get a grant of up to $5,350. This is over $1,000 above the previous maximum, and it's a big help to moms who want to return to school. The scholarship money covers practically all school-related expenses. There's also another great program: the American Opportunity Tax Credit. With this tax credit, the first $4,000 of college expenses are free. This $4,000 write off can be a big help to many students. Both of these tax programs help single moms tremendously because they are traditionally low-income individuals. Students have numerous school options: full-time or part-time, 2-year or 4-year college, multiple majors. With a few less money worries, more single mothers can attend college. Increasing educational opportunity and performance is undoubtedly one of the President's goals. Through the recent stimulus package, many undergraduate and graduate loans will be less of a burden. There is also emphasis on ways to improve school and student achievement in all areas. Another goal is to encourage more students to attend community colleges. A 2-year degree or the time spent learning a technical school from a community college can be a tremendous asset. In his Reclaiming the American Dream speech in 2007, Obama said, "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. If the goal is to educate as many as possible, making grants available for mothers is a good step. Traditional and non-traditional students alike have numerous opportunities to put their education first.
Obama Scholarships: Money to Help You Attend College
