House passes Ryan budget, which would slash funding for Pell Grants. Bad news for college students. http://bit.ly/Ym1rIM
“I literally owe my entire education and my current career path to the Pell grant,” said Kerrie Trube — a student at the Community College of Philadelphia and winner of the Speak Up for Pell Video Contest. Check out her video (as well as runner-up Andrea Marant).
Anyone who has ever tried to untangle a cassette tape knows some things have gotten a lot better since the 1980s. But not everything has improved, especially if you’re a college student or the family of a student.
New data show the percentage of American households with student loan debt has more than DOUBLED since 1989.
Tell Congress to stop the political theater and protect low student loan interest rates! Unless both parties end their politicking and come to an agreement by July 1, 7 million students who rely on federal loans will see their interest rates double. Write to your representatives now and tell them to do the right thing and stand up for students. →
With college costs rising and student loan interest rates poised to double, the federal Pell Grant is just part of the solution to keeping the doors to college open for everyone. Click on the link below to share your story about struggling to pay for college and read how others current and former students who are struggling with debt. →
President Obama appeared on ‘Late Night with Jimmy Fallon’ last night to stand up for students struggling to afford college. In addition to giving a big shout-out to the importance of Pell Grants, Obama made the case against increases to student loan interest rates by “slow-jamming the news.”
On a recent radio appearance, Rep. Virginia Foxx, chair of the House Higher Education Subcommittee, said that she has “very little tolerance” for students who need to take out loans to pay for college. But the data show that covering college costs is harder than it’s ever been: college costs have grown 538 percent over the past 30 years.
(Source: thinkprogress.org)
How bad is Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal? Really bad. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found that a full 62 percent of the huge proposed cuts come at the expense of low-income Americans. Tell your member of Congress to fight these cuts: http://edtru.st/GReTcR
As of late 2011, America’s outstanding student debt has surpassed $1 trillion. Please reblog to share with your friends.
It’s déjà vu in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wasn’t it just last year when House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled a federal budget proposal to slash Pell Grant funding? We saved Pell before and we can do it again. Write to Congress NOW, and tell your representative to oppose the Ryan budget proposal. →
As every Pell recipient knows, getting good grades in college is tough. But paying for soaring tuition and fees can be just as challenging. Even with our Pell grants, over 70 percent of us have to hold down a job to make ends meet. Pell helps hardworking students stay in school and earn their way into a promising career.
Reblog this picture to show how important Pell is to students like you. (Photo credits: Flickr users wharman and English106, sxc.hu users Kurhan and julosstock.)
College costs are skyrocketing: Since the early 1980s, college tuition and fees have grown by 538 percent — nearly twice the pace of healthcare costs and almost five times that of inflation. Reblog this image to spread the word.
Save Pell advocates, your hard work has not gone unnoticed! Save Pell is one of several campaigns to be nominated for the New Organizing Institute's Most Valuable Campaign of 2011. To cast your vote, follow this link and click the "like" button next to Save Pell. Please reblog! →
Recently, Arkansas college student Kelly Eubanks spoke up at a town hall meeting held by her congressman Rep. Steve Womack to ask about his votes to cut Pell Grants while maintaining subsidies for the oil industry. But Womack stonewalled the mother of two, who works two jobs and counts on Pell to continue her education.
Pell Grants, student loan debt, and the predatory practices of some for-profit college companies — under the banner of college affordability — are all emerging as big issues on the national agenda. Our elected officials must address these issues now!
Reblog this video and help spread the word that college should not be a privilege for the select few.
