Obama's Weekly Address WEEKLY ADDRESS: Everyone Should Be Able To Afford Higher Education

奧巴馬每周電視講話:總統希望人人都能負擔得起學費

Hi, everybody.

大家好！

Over the next couple weeks, schools all across the country will be opening their doors.

未來幾個星期，全美各地的學校將陸續開學。

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.

學生們將穿上校服重返校園，參加學校的運動隊、儀仗隊、演奏團等；而爸爸媽媽們也會一起欣賞這些開學日的照片。這些父母當中也包括我和米歇爾。

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.

因此，今天，我想直接與學子及其家長們討論一件尤為重要的事情，而這件事是大家可以在今年之內實現的。那就是為自己的大學做好準備。

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.

我們都知道，在當今的經濟環境中，你是否上過完整的大學、社區學院或參加過職業培訓直接關系到你能否躋身中產階級。

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.

擁有本科學歷的普通美國人每年的收入要比那些只有高中學歷的人的收入高2.8萬美元。

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.

而且前者在職業上升通道上也具有領先優勢。擁有本科學歷人員的失業率比只有高中學歷的人要低三分之一。

But for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle.

但對于全國眾多的家庭而言，支付大學的學費卻是永遠的傷痛。

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.

今年早些時候，一位名叫伊麗莎白·庫珀的女孩給我寫信，告訴我像她這樣的中產家庭在支付大學學費這件事情上有多么艱難。

As she said, she feels “not significant enough to be addressed, not poor enough for people to worry, and not rich enough to be cared about.”

如同她信中所說的，她們家“很普通無法引起重視，不是窮的不行能得到別人的關心，也不是富得流油能受到眷顧”。

Michelle and I know the feeling – we only finished paying off our student loans ten years ago.

米歇爾和我對此是有親身體會的，我們也是十年前才剛剛還完我們的大學貸款。

And so as President, I'm working to make sure young people like Elizabeth can go to college without racking up mountains of debt.

作為總統，我要確保像伊麗莎白這樣的同學能夠上得起大學，而且不能背負沉重的債務負擔。

We reformed a student loan system so that more money goes to students instead of big banks.

我們對助學貸款體系進行了改革，讓錢能更多的直接交到學生手中而不是留在大型銀行手里。

We expanded grants and college tax credits for students and families.

我們擴大了獎學金發放范圍，為學生和其家庭提供更多的大學稅收減免。

We took action to offer millions of students a chance to cap their student loan payments at 10% of their income.

我們還采取措施確保大學生每月的貸款還款額不超過其收入的10%，這將惠及數百萬學子。

And Congress should pass a bill to let students refinance their loans at today's lower interest rates, just like their parents can refinance their mortgage.

國會也應該通過立法，在當前的低利率條件下，讓學生可以轉換貸款，就像他們的父母轉按揭住房貸款一樣。

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.

但由于大學運營成本不斷上漲，我們也不能僅僅依靠不斷投入來解決這一問題。大學本身也應該做出努力降低云隱成本。

That's why we proposed a plan to tie federal financial aid to a college's performance, and create a new college scorecard so that students and parents can see which schools provide the biggest bang for your buck.

因此，我們提出了一項計劃，將聯邦資金援助與高校的運行績效關聯起來，打造一個新的高校評價體系，讓學生和家長們能一目了然地知道，哪所大學能為他們省更多的錢。

We launched a new 75 million challenge to inspire colleges to reduce costs and raise graduation rates.

我們啟動了一項斥資7500萬美元的評比項目，激勵高校降低運營成本、提高學生畢業率。

And in January, more than 100 college presidents and nonprofit leaders came to the White House and made commitments to increase opportunities for underserved students.

今年1月，100多名大學校長、非營利機構的負責人齊聚白宮，共同承諾要為缺少關懷的學生提供更多機遇。

Since then, we've met with even more leaders who want to create new community-based partnerships and support school counselors.

之后，有更多相關領導人與我們會面，表示希望打造新的社會合作機制，提供更多輔導員職位。

And this week, my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced a series of commitments to support students who need a little extra academic help getting through college.

本周，教育部長阿恩·鄧肯宣布了一系列政策，將幫助需要幫助的學子順利完成大學學業。

This is a challenge I take personally.

這對于我來說是一個挑戰。

And to all you young people, now that you're heading back to school, your education is something you have to take personally, also.

對于所有年輕人而言，你們現在要重返校園，你們自己必須要堅持完成大學學業。

It's up to you to push yourself; to take hard classes and read challenging books.

能否督促自己，上完難學的課程，啃完大學的書本，這都取決于你們自身。

Science shows that when you struggle to solve a problem or make a new argument, you're actually forming new connections in your brain.

科學研究表明，當你經過千辛萬苦解決了一個問題或提出一個新的觀點時，你的大腦細胞就多了一條連接。

So when you're thinking hard, you're getting smarter.

因此只要你們努力思考，你們就會變得越來越聰明。

Which means this year, challenge yourself to reach higher.

因此，今年挑戰一下自己，追求更高的目標。

And set your sights on college in the years ahead.

把你們的目光投向未來要上的大學。

Your country is counting on you.

你們就是祖國的未來。

And don't forget to have some fun along the way, too.

當然，別忘了在這個過程中享受快樂。

Thanks everybody. Good luck on the year ahead.

謝謝各位！祝大家在未來的日子里學業有成！

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