<p>Can anyone tell us which presidential candidates have the best positions on improving assistance to more people getting better financial aid for higher education?</p>
<p>This link suggested that a lack of good financial aid from the state is an important ground for the absurd amount of applications, and that the state has an interest in helping more people get higher education. </p>
<p>Hillary Clinton's website: "Create a new $3,500 college tax credit.
Increase the maximum Pell Grant.
Strengthen community colleges through a $500 million investment.
Create a graduation fund to increase college graduation rates.
Increase to $10,000 the college scholarship for those who participate in AmeriCorps full-time for one year.
Get rid of the red tape in financial aid.
Hold college costs down and hold colleges accountable for results though an online college cost calculator, a college graduation and employment rate index, and truth in tuition disclosure.
Challenge selective colleges to expand access for students from low-income communities."</p>
<p>Obama's website:
"Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Obama will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year's tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.
Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application."</p>
<p>There are the Dems.</p>
<p>thanks, this helps. What do the Republicans say?</p>
<p>Huckabee's site doesn't seem to say anything.
Romney's site touts his record: "In 2004, Governor Romney established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program to reward the highest performing Massachusetts high school graduates with a four-year, tuition-free scholarship to state universities or colleges. More than 14,000 Adams Scholarships were offered to members of the Class of 2006, and more than 16,000 students earned them in the Class of 2007."
McCain's site doesn't seem to say anything about higher education.</p>
<p>So far, on this issue, I like Hillary Clinton's approach the best.</p>
<p>Candidates not yet mentioned-</p>
<p>Ron Paul:</p>
<p>"I have also introduced legislation to help families cope with the out-of-control costs of higher education. H.R. 193, the Make College Affordable Act, creates a full tax deduction for undergraduate college tuition, reasonable living expenses, and interest on qualified student loans.".....Ron</a> Paul 2008 Issues Education</p>
<p>Edwards:</p>
<p>"Today John Edwards proposed a series of initiatives to help all qualified students pay for college. His College Opportunity Agenda includes:.......John</a> Edwards for President-Expanding Opportunity Through College for Everyone</p>
<p>Giuliani:</p>
<p>Can't find anything on his site.</p>
<p>Edwards seems uniquely qualified for this sort of issue.</p>
<p>As far as the Democratic candidates go, Edwards strikes me as being the most sincerce. However, people will just forget about him and his issues because they are more interested in watching Hillary and Barack fight like little kids.</p>
<p>That's for sure. At the moment, I'm undecided among the top 3 dems, but I do like Edwards for education issues. After all, he grew up poor and is now a multi-millionaire malpractice etc. lawyer. If that's not the american dream, what is? :D</p>
<p>Don't forget about Dennis Kucinich! :)</p>
<p>"I have a plan to provide tuition-free higher education to millions of students in state universities."</p>
<p>Romney: BYU for undergrad, then Harvard MBAs and JDs for the masses...j/k</p>
<p>"Strengthen Education. Emphasize math and science, while promoting innovative approaches such as charter schools and public-private partnerships, to ensure American workers have the intellectual capital and skills to compete in the 21st century economy."</p>
<p>
[quote]
That's for sure. At the moment, I'm undecided among the top 3 dems, but I do like Edwards for education issues. After all, he grew up poor and is now a multi-millionaire malpractice etc. lawyer. If that's not the american dream, what is?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yes, son of a miiiilll worker...:rolleyes: Probably single-handedly raised insurance rates for all Americans.</p>
<p>I think Hillary's is the best, then Obama's. I do think, though, that more money should be spent on public universities (or at least put more pressure on state governments to better fund publics).</p>
<p>Out of the two contenders that actually stand a chance, Hillary's proposal is far more realistic. </p>
<p>(This, in my eyes, is Obama's one largest fault. He dreams big, but doesn't account for the fact that the system does have limitations.)</p>
<p>Hillary's $500 million investment in community colleges is fine but how is it divied up?...Besides, how is education spending a FEDERAL issue...Education spending is decided by the states.</p>
<p>Federal tax credits are OK.</p>
<p>Funny how she talks about eliminating red-tape and then proposes this:
[quote]
Hold college costs down and hold colleges accountable for results though an online college cost calculator, a college graduation and employment rate index, and truth in tuition disclosure.
[/quote]
:rolleyes:</p>
<p>UCBChem-
uh, those measures are designed to make the process MORE transparent and EASIER on college goers and their parents. maybe you just saw a lot of big words and got confused :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
Besides, how is education spending a FEDERAL issue...Education spending is decided by the states.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Yeah, but a public's main revenue comes from the federal government. I know the state of California only pays for about 5% of Berkeley's budget (the federal government for 20%).</p>
<p>
[quote]
uh, those measures are designed to make the process MORE transparent and EASIER on college goers and their parents
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Usually, measures like that are to make the process more efficient, but that's what the basic idea of a bureaucracy is: you add a bunch of features to make the process run more smoothly, when in reality you're just creating a bunch of red tape.</p>
<p>^ Yes, and there's a whole lotta red-tape in:
"Hold college costs down and hold colleges accountable"....</p>
<p>Lot's of fluffy feel-good words, but a whole lotta bureaucracy behind it.</p>
<p>To summarize what is in this post so far:</p>
<p>DEMS
Hillary
"Create a new $3,500 college tax credit.
Increase the maximum Pell Grant.
Strengthen community colleges through a $500 million investment.
Create a graduation fund to increase college graduation rates.
Increase to $10,000 the college scholarship for those who participate in AmeriCorps full-time for one year.
Get rid of the red tape in financial aid.
Hold college costs down and hold colleges accountable for results though an online college cost calculator, a college graduation and employment rate index, and truth in tuition disclosure.
Challenge selective colleges to expand access for students from low-income communities."</p>
<p>Obama's website:
"Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Obama will also ensure that the tax credit is available to families at the time of enrollment by using prior year's tax data to deliver the credit when tuition is due.
Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application."</p>
<p>Edwards
"Today John Edwards proposed a series of initiatives to help all qualified students pay for college. His College Opportunity Agenda includes:.......John Edwards for President-Expanding Opportunity Through College for Everyone</p>
<p>Dennis Kucinich
"I have a plan to provide tuition-free higher education to millions of students in state universities."</p>
<p>Republicans</p>
<p>Huckabee
Huckabee's site doesn't seem to say anything.
Romney
Romney's site touts his record: "In 2004, Governor Romney established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program to reward the highest performing Massachusetts high school graduates with a four-year, tuition-free scholarship to state universities or colleges. More than 14,000 Adams Scholarships were offered to members of the Class of 2006, and more than 16,000 students earned them in the Class of 2007."</p>
<p>McCain
McCain's site doesn't seem to say anything about higher education.</p>
<p>Ron Paul:</p>
<p>"I have also introduced legislation to help families cope with the out-of-control costs of higher education. H.R. 193, the Make College Affordable Act, creates a full tax deduction for undergraduate college tuition, reasonable living expenses, and interest on qualified student loans.".....Ron Paul 2008 Issues Education</p>
<p>Giuliani:</p>
<p>Can't find anything on his site.</p>
<p>I think it says something about the candidate's priorities if they don't have anything about higher education in their platform..</p>