There is a lot going on right now in the fight for college affordability. Next week the House will be voting on the largest increase in student aid since the GI Bill. If you haven't yet - tell your representative to fight for a financial aid system that helps students and families, not banks and lenders!
Among other things, the legislation would:
Strengthen the Middle Class by Making College More Affordable
- Cutting interest rates in half on subsidized student loans over the next five years.
- Making student loan payments more manageable for borrowers by guaranteeing that borrowers will not have to pay more than 15 percent of their discretionary income in loan repayments, and allowing borrowers in economic hardship to have their loans forgiven after 20 years...
Increase the Purchasing Power of the Pell Grant Scholarship
- Increasing the maximum Pell Grant scholarship by at least $500 over the next five years, ultimately reaching a maximum scholarship of at least $5,200.
- Expanding eligibility to include and serve more students with financial need.
If that is not exciting enough, now you can win $2,500 to pay off your student debt by writing about college access, student debt, or fair lending. All you have to do is write something, get it published, and enter the contest at: http://collegeaffordabilitynow.org/essaycontest/
[Disclosure: I am currently an organizer at Campus Progress, a member of the Campaign for College Affordability.]













