subject: Money for College: Obama Grants [print this page] If you want to be successful, getting a good education is a good start. Since his campaign to become President, Barack Obama has made education a key issue. Grants and scholarships are just the beginning of efforts to try to make over higher education. Expenses like college tuition and housing grow even as the economy suffers. 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. One group that is particularly hit hard is single mothers. Helping single mothers get an education helps their families and future employers. It's important to the President and that's why he's implemented a program for scholarships for mothers. Federal Pell Grants have now been fondly called Obama grants. These grants award a student over $5,000 to go to college. Before Pell grants maxed out at about $4,000. Tuition, books, travel and school supplies are all expenses that students can cover with grant money. Another worthwhile program is the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This tax credit makes a way for students to write off the first $4,000 of their education costs. This is a worthy incentive, especially for schools that are less expensive. Single moms often fall into this group, so these programs are particularly beneficial to them. There are almost no restrictions on where and what a student studies. Taking away a little of the financial burden of college is a helpful way to get more students enrolled. The President has demonstrated that he considers this issue a priority. The stimulus plan that passed has some provisions to make the college loan process easier. There is also emphasis on ways to improve school and student achievement in all areas. Higher education at a 2-year college can be a great option, and there is emphasis being put on that fact. A 2-year degree or the time spent learning a technical school from a community college can be a tremendous asset. "We need to put a college education within reach of every American. That's the best investment we can make in our future." Those are the words of President Obama in his 2007 speech Reclaiming the American Dream. The President has shown a good effort to support his words through action. 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.
