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Grant Essay

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The Federal Pell Grant program has continued to support college students with financial needs for over 40 years. Starting in 1972 as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant, the program was later renamed after Senator Claiborne Pell, whose goal was to provide economically disadvantaged students with the opportunity to pursue higher education beyond secondary schooling. Even though the program is more geared toward increasing the number of college graduates seeking a bachelor's degree, being successful at the community college level can greatly benefit post-secondary students. Some of the advantages of an associate’s degree include higher pay than a high school diploma or GED certificate, relatively quick acquisition of higher education …show more content…

Moreover, I will respond to a few anti-Pell grant criticisms and elaborate on how changes to the program may make it more effective.
The Federal Pell Grant Program’s Purpose: Addressing the Economic Market Failure The Federal Pell Grant program’s purpose is to provide financially needy students with a foundation of post-secondary educational support. As low income earners continue to lack the skills necessary for skilled labor careers, and the demand for low skilled labor decreases, the wage gap will increase. As the wage gap increases, so would the need for effective social welfare funded by the government via taxpayer dollars. Pell grants are meant to offer students with an opportunity to break the cycle of being economically disadvantaged, and the program gives them a chance to improve their economic situation, and thus, society as a whole.
The Federal Pell Grant Program: What it is and How it Works
Pell grants are federal subsidies given to students primarily on a financial need basis to help them invest in higher education. The money is not meant to be repaid like a loan. In 2015, the program provided a maximum of $5500 in grant money to undergraduate students. The maximum has risen a few hundred dollars since then, but the amount covers the costs of community college tuition more completely than for a 4-year institution. Low attainments rates can be attributed, in part, to low income families being unaware of the cost of college, thus, not

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