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Category: National News

Washington, DC - Expanding opportunity for more students, especially disadvantaged students, to enroll and succeed in college is vital to building a strong economy and a strong middle class.  The chance of a child born in the bottom household income quintile making it to the top quintile nearly quadruples with a college degree. Yet fewer than 10 percent of those born into low-income households earn a bachelor’s degree by age 25, compared with over 50 percent of students born into upper-income households.

Decades of research have shown how higher education offers large benefits to students in terms of labor market earnings, health, and happiness – and to the community at large.

That’s why President Obama has made historic progress around college opportunity, affordability, and completion by doubling investments in Pell Grants and tax credits; made student loans more affordable by cutting interest rates and allowing borrowers to cap student loan payments at 10 percent of income; made access to financial aid and college information simpler and faster; and promoted innovation and competition to bring down costs and improve college quality. Today, more students are graduating college than ever, and student loan defaults, delinquencies, and forbearances are on the decline. Through the President and First Lady’s Call-to-Action on College Opportunity, hundreds of schools, organizations, and counselors have reported that they have already helped students access more than $5 billion in financial aid, enrolling 1 million more students in college, and setting 10 million more students on track to complete on time within the decade.

The Administration and the country have made significant progress to ensure more students can access an affordable, high-quality college education and succeed. Each spring, however, the buzz around the thousands of student-athletes deciding where to play college football overshadows the momentous decision tens of millions of students make to pursue a postsecondary degree. Working hard in school should be celebrated just as much as working hard on the field. That is why First Lady Michelle Obama will be celebrating National College Signing Day as part of her Better Make Room campaign. Last October, as part of her Reach Higher initiative, the First Lady launched Better Make Room, a public awareness campaign targeted at Generation Z, or young people ages 14-19, to celebrate education, change the national conversation, and give students the tools and resources they need – from the FAFSA to the College Scorecard – to continue their education past high school. The Better Make Room campaign engages actors, singers, and sports icons in celebrating students for pursuing their higher education.

During her College Signing Day event, the First Lady will honor graduating high school seniors who will go on to pursue a postsecondary degree. During her College Signing Day event at New York City’s Harlem Armory, the First Lady will celebrate college enrollment and success alongside more than 4,000 high school students. In addition, over 1,000 communities around the country will host College Signing Day events to celebrate student success. Mrs. Obama first announced her Reach Higher initiative at a College Signing Day event in San Antonio, TX in 2014, and last year led a call to action culminating in 600 events around the country and her own celebration on Detroit, MI.  On April 29, Education Secretary John B. King Jr. will give remarks in Washington, D.C. at the College Signing Day celebration hosted by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

Ensuring Every Student has a Fair Shot at a High-Quality Education

Today, we celebrate not only the start of a college education for many students, but also the progress  that our nation has made to ensure that all hard-working students have a fair shot at earning their degrees and credentials. That’s why the President set a north-star goal for the country to once again lead the world in college attainment. To achieve this bold goal for college completion, ensure that America’s students and workers receive the education and training needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and provide more security for the middle class, this Administration has worked to make college more accessible, affordable, and attainable for all American families.

 

Celebrating Progress on College Opportunity under the President and First Lady’s Call to Action

Each student’s success is a result of collective effort; it is possible for students to reach this significant milestone of choosing a college when they and countless others in the community–family, friends, teachers, counselors, schools, colleges, policymakers, and higher education organizations–join in the efforts to make each educational opportunity count. That’s why we are also celebrating College Opportunity commitment-makers’ tremendous progress and unity around making a college degree more within reach for students.

As part of the White House College Opportunity Days of Action on January 16, 2014 and December 4, 2014, the President and First Lady announced over 700 commitments to expand opportunity for more students to enroll and succeed in college. Collectively, these efforts will substantially grow the number of college graduates; expand students’ college opportunities and support them to make strong college choices that meet fit their educational goals and career aspirations; and strengthen the pipeline to college and improve college remediation to ensure students from all backgrounds are prepared to succeed in college.

Altogether, the collective actions taken by college and system presidents, education and community leaders, and organizations have accelerated progress in supporting students to and through college. These commitments have already:

Sustained Efforts to Expand College Opportunity and Increase Student Success

New efforts to expand college opportunity include: