《每个人都应该能负担得起高等教育》（2014年8月16日）
Hi, everybody. 大家好。
Over the next couple weeks, 在接下来的几周里，
schools all across the country will be opening their doors.
全国各地的学校将会开学。
Students will suit up for fall sports, marching band, and the school play, moms and dads will snap those first-day-of-school pictures, and that includes me and Michelle.
学生们会全副武装地参加秋季运动会，军乐队演奏以及校园剧演出，妈妈们爸爸们会拍下上学第一天的照片，这也包括我和米歇尔。
And so today, I want to talk directly with students and parents, about one of the most important things any of you can do this year, and that’s to begin preparing yourself for an education beyond high school.
所以今天，我想直接和学生以及家长们谈谈，你们所有人今年里可以做得最最重要的一件事，这就是开始让自己为高中以后的学业做好准备。
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We know that in today’s economy whether you go to a four-year college, a community college or a professional training program, some higher education is the surest ticket to the middle class.
我们知道在今天的经济中，不管你是否接受了四年的大学教育，在社区大学进行了学习，或者参加了专业培训项目的指导，一定程度的高等教育是进入中产阶级的最可靠的通行证。
The typical American with a bachelor’s degree or higher earns over $28,000 more per year, than someone with just a high school diploma.
典型的有着学士学位或者更好教育水平的美国人，比仅有高中文凭的人，每年大约多挣到$28,000。
And they’re also much more likely to have a job in the first place, the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree, is less than one-third of the rate for those without a high school diploma.
他们也能够更快地找到工作，那些拥有学士学位人们的失业率，不及那些还没有高中文凭人们的三分之一。
But for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle.
但对全国太多的家庭来说，支付高等教育是一项持续不断的奋斗。
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Earlier this year, a young woman named Elizabeth Cooper wrote to tell me, how hard it is for middle-class families like hers to afford college.
今年的早些时候，一个叫做伊丽莎白·库珀的年轻女孩写信告诉我，对像她一样的中产家庭来说，负担起高等教育是多么地困难。
As she said, she feels not significant enough to be addressed, not poor enough for people to worry about, and not rich enough to be cared about.
正像她所说的，她感到自己不是足够地重要而不需要被提及，不是足够地贫穷而不足以让人们去担忧，也不是足够地富有不值得被关心。
Michelle and I know the feeling, we only finished paying off our student loans ten years ago.
米歇尔和我也了解这种感觉，我们也仅仅在10年前才付清我们的助学贷款。
And so as President, I’m working to make sure young people like Elizabeth, can go to college without racking up mountains of debt.
作为总统，我们一直在工作确保像伊丽莎白这样的年轻人可以进入大学，而不需要背上如山的债务。
We reformed a student loan system, so that more money goes to students instead of big banks.
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我们改革了助学贷款体系，可以有更多的资金让学生申请而不仅仅来自大银行。
We expanded grants and college tax credits for students and families.
我们为学生和家庭增加了赠款和大学税收减免。
We took action to offer millions of students a chance, to cap their student loan payments at 10% of their income.
我们采取行动提供给数百万学生这样的机会，让他们可以用自己10%的收入支付他们的助学贷款。
And Congress should pass a bill to let student refinance their loans at today’s lower interest rates, just like their parents can refinance their mortgage.
国会也应该通过法案，让学生们可以用较低的贷款利率重新筹措到贷款，就像他们的父母可以重新为房屋贷款筹钱一样。
But as long as college costs keep rising, we can’t just keep throwing money at the problem, colleges have to do their part to bring down costs as well.
但只要大学学费继续增长，我们不能仅仅通过投入资金来缓解问题，大学也应该做他们的努力来降低花销。
That’s why we proposed a plan to tie federal financial aid to a college’s performance, and create a new college, and create a new college scorecard, so that
第 4 页
students and parents can see which school provide the biggest bang for your buck.
也因此，我们提出了一项计划，将联邦财政补助与学校的表现联系起来，并创建一项新的学校积分制度，因此学生和家长们可以看到哪些学校可以为他们的付出提供最大的机会。
We launched a new $75 million challenge to inspire colleges to reduce costs and raise graduation rates.
我们发起了新的7500万美元挑战模式，来激励大学降低开支，并提高毕业率。
And in January, more than 100 college presidents and nonprofit leaders, come to the White House and made commitments, to increase opportunities for underserved students.
在一月份，100多名大学校长和非盈利组织的领导人，来到白宫，并承诺，为不受重视的学生增加机遇。
Since then, we’ve met with even more leaders who want to create new community-based partnerships and support school counselors.
从那时起，我们已经会见了更多的领袖，他们都想着创建新的以社区为基础的伙伴关系并帮助学校的顾问。
And this week, my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced a series of
第 5 页
commitments, to support students who need a little extra academic help getting through college.
本周，我的教育部长，阿恩·邓肯，宣布了一系列承诺，帮助需要一点儿额外学业帮助的学生们可以进入大学。
This is a challenge I take personally.
这是一个我个人参与过的挑战
And to all you young people, now that you’re heading back to school, your education is something you have to take personally, also.
对所有的年轻人来说，现在你们要回到学校了，你的学业也是你必须自己亲身参与的。
It’s up to you to push yourself to take hard classes and read challenging books.
这要你自己来严格要求自己，听难懂的课，读有挑战性的书。
Science shows that when you struggle to solve a problem or make a new argument, you’re actually forming new connections in your brain.
科学研究表明，当你努力去解决问题或者提出新的观点，你实际上正在大脑中创建新的连接。
第 6 页
So when you’re thinking hard, you’re getting smarter.
因此，当你努力去想问题时，你正在变得聪明。
Which means this year, challenge yourself to reach higher.
这一年意味着什么，挑战你自己并提升自己到新的高度，
And set your sights on college in the years ahead.
将你的视角聚焦到未来几年的大学中。
Your country is counting on you. 你的国家需要你。
And don’t forget to have some fun along the way, too.
也不要忘记一路上的高兴事。
Thanks everybody. Good luck on the year ahead.
谢谢大家。祝你在新的学年好运。
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