We’re all expecting some “change” after January 20, 2009.  But what exactly is president-elect Obama planning for higher education?  Here’s a brief summary of the factsheet he has been using to outline his plans for education:

The American Opportunity Tax Credit will pay for the first $4,000 of a college education, and on average will cover 2/3 the cost for public colleges and universities.

He also plans to make applying for financial aid easier; instead of filling out five pages of questions, people will be able to check off a box in their tax return instead, making it easier for students who are eligible to get the money they need.

Up-to-date Pell Grant pricing and Early Assesment Programs are two other focuses of the campaign.  By enacting these he hopes to help people subsidize their college costs and learn about college in general.

He also plans to eliminate private loan programs and reward community colleges in order to strengthen them and attract more students.  The details of these plans are still a bit vague, but they are good ideas to start on.

All of these measures would drastically improve the availability of higher education in this country, and will ultimately bolster the American workforce.  Let’s hope that these really do get implemented.

What do you think of Obama’s plans? What do you think Obama should do first?