subject: Obama Scholarships: Money To Help You Attend College [print this page] If you want to be successful, getting a good education is a good start. Even before he became President, Barack Obama spoke about the need to make education a priority. Free money through grants and scholarships is only the beginning.
Expenses like college tuition and housing grow even as the economy suffers. Scholarship packages rarely cover the full amount for tuition, books and housing. With high costs looming, many young adults can't afford to go to a university. Working, single mothers are particularly hit hard. Not only does educating mothers help provide for their families, but it also improves the workforce. Creating college grants for moms is one way the President is dealing with this issue. Although they are the same, many people refer to Federal Pell grants as Obama grants. With these grants, college-bound students can receive over $5,000 to pay for school. This is over $1,000 above the previous maximum, and it's a big help to moms who want to return to school. These grants can be used to cover many of the miscellaneous college expenses.
Another incentive to consider is the American Opportunity Tax Credit. With this tax credit, the first $4,000 of college expenses are free. Especially for less expensive schools, $4,000 could be a significant help for a student. A grant and a tax break could be just the thing to help students like working single moms. 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. 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. Since many overlook community colleges, there is emphasis on increasing their effectiveness and appeal. Community college is important to prepare students for a 4-year college but also to prepare them for a 2-year degree or technical skill.
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." The President has shown a good effort to support his words through action. Scholarships for moms are only a small part of the mission to help educate more people. If you're a potential student who wants to make education a priority, there are many chances for you to do so.
