A College Education Within Reach: Obama Grants

Education is always an important key to a good future. The President has on many occasions emphasized the need for a strong education system. Many important people are focused on increasing scholarship opportunities and improving education.

Although the economy has dramatically fallen, college prices have continued to rise for many years. Besides tuition and housing, fees for books, travel and eating are often not covered. With high costs looming, many young adults can't afford to go to a university. Working, single mothers are particularly hit hard. Helping single mothers get an education helps their families and future employers. More scholarships for single moms is one way to improve the situation. Federal Pell Grants have now been fondly called Obama grants. Currently students can earn about $5,350 through a Pell grant. 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.

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 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. Students have numerous school options: full-time or part-time, 2-year or 4-year college, multiple majors. Now the expenses are just a little lighter, and eager mothers can enroll in school.

With his actions President Obama has confirmed his belief in this issue. With the recent passage of the economic stimulus plan, a lot of college loans will be offered by the government. The administration is also focusing on improving the performance of schools at all levels. The President believes community colleges need to become viable options. A 2-year degree or the time spent learning a technical school from a community college can be a tremendous asset.

In his 2007 Reclaiming the American Dream speech, 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. 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.