Tag: A History of Candidate Positions on College Affordability

Student Loans – College Affordability Part 4

Both candidates support loans as a way to help students pay for college. Obama’s plan seeks to increase loan forgiveness, a federal program that cancels all or a portion of a student’s loan, most often in exchange for some form of public service. McCain, however, has voted against programs to provide loan forgiveness on two occasions.

See more on how the candidates plan to work loans into their overall plans to help students pay for college in Part 4 of Mason Votes’ series on college affordability.

Community Schools and Vocational Training – College Affordability Part 3

When it comes to community and vocational schools, Obama sees them as essential to providing local students with the skills they need and intends to reward community colleges that increase their graduates and transfers to four-year colleges. McCain focuses on retraining workers.

Read more about how the two candidates intend to support community schools and how they want to implement vocational training in Part 3 of Mason Votes’ series on college affordability.

Taking the Cost of Education out of Taxes – College Affordability Part 2

Tax credit programs allow those applicable for a credit to subtract the value from their annual tax payment, or claim it as a deduction. So if you were required to pay $5,000 in taxes this year and you received the $4,000 tax credit that Obama proposes for students, you would only have to pay $1,000 in taxes. Many politicians, including Obama, favor providing tax credits to college students in exchange for public service. However, some college administrators state that tax credit programs force an increase in overall student tuition.

Obama wants to increase tax credits, McCain states he wants to simplify them, but by simplify, does he mean eliminate? Find out in Part 2 of Mason Votes series on College Affordability.

A History of Candidate Positions on College Affordability – Part 1

Senators John McCain and Barack Obama have had plenty to say about Wall Street and Main Street, but they have said little about how the economic situation makes it difficult for students who want to live on University Row. Though college students are expected to be a deciding factor in a number of states, including Virginia, the issue of college tuition barely shows up on both candidates’ radars.

This is Part 1 in a five part series on how the presidential candidates plan to help students pay for college. This section focuses on the College Cost Reduction Act and federal grants.