Expressing concern that foreign students are able to “out-compete” Americans, President Obama said Thursday he wants to make sure that college is affordable for U.S. students.
“I want to make sure we lead the world in education once again, not just because it’s right to help more young people chase their dreams, but because it’s critical to our economic future,” Mr. Obama said at a summit on college opportunity at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington.
The president didn’t announce any major new initiatives but called on higher-education officials to make more commitments to programs such as waiving college application fees for low-income students.
“Making sure more of our young people have access to higher education and can succeed and complete their work and get their degree, that has to be an American issue,” Mr. Obama said. “We’re going to have to make sure that more students can make it all the way across the graduation stage, not with debt that might limit their choices, but with the skills that will prepare them for the workforce.”
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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