Hopes, Holes and Help for Students

President Barack Obama fought for education and equal opportunities for all American students last week as he gave the State of Union Address.

Although he had covered a wide range of subjects, he proposed an educational reform that will reform Grants and Loans for college students. He plans to increase Pell Grants and give families a $10,000 tax credit for four years of college. Although this is an admiral idea, President Obama does not tell the American people how he plans to increase the Pell Grant, nor does he say where he plans to get the money for the $10,000 tax credit, which will be given to each American family.

Reforms such as these require a plan. A plan that the American people know about, and understand; for many students they fear that, without the proper arrangements, Obama’s plan to reform loans can easily fall through. 

 A Local student at St.Mary’s University, Paulina Hernandez (Political Science Major), showed her concern by stating, “If he chooses to give a tax credit, will $10,000 be given per family or per child? This is an issue because if it only applies to the family as a whole, then it doesn’t mean much to families with 3-5 children or more; it only seems like a good plan to families with 1-2 children, at most.  Furthermore, the Pell Grants varies, so how does he plan to increase it when it is not a set amount? Maybe instead of increasing the amount he should consider creating different criteria as to how to gualify for the Grant. In addition, the rule of only paying 10% on student loans is a great plan for those students with multiple loans, but again another question rises; is it only 10% on all the loans added together or on each loan separately? Ideally, this all sounds like the perfect plan, but there are many loop holes that he fails to address.”

Beautiful ideas, such as the ones President Obama presented, have given American students hope, but will this just be another empty promise? Or will he let action speak instead of words?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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