National College Application Month, 2016

Proclamation 9531 of October 28, 2016

National College Application Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In America, all people deserve an equal chance to
succeed, and expanding access to affordable higher
education is necessary for bringing us closer to
fulfilling this ideal. Over the past several
generations, our country built a strong middle class
through a commitment to keeping a high-quality
education within reach for all those willing to work
for it, and now more than ever, a college degree is the
surest path to the middle class. During National
College Application Month, we encourage Americans to
apply for a higher education, and we strive to ensure
every student--no matter who they are or where they
come from--has a chance at the opportunities they need
to thrive.

My Administration is committed to giving students and
their families important information on college
admissions, value, and costs so they can make decisions
that are right for them. Last year, we redesigned a new
College Scorecard with direct input from students,
families, and advisers to provide clear and accessible
national data on college cost, graduation rates, debt,
and post-college earnings. By visiting
CollegeScorecard.Ed.gov, more Americans can evaluate
college choices based on the factors that matter most
to them. Through First Lady Michelle Obama's Reach
Higher initiative, we are inspiring more students to
pursue a higher education, ensuring they have what they
need to complete their college education, and helping
them understand their financial aid eligibility. And we
are working to reduce barriers to educational
opportunity through the Fair Chance Higher Education
Pledge--an effort in which public and private colleges
and universities are helping provide individuals with
criminal records who have already paid their debt to
society a fair chance to seek a higher education. To
learn more about ways we are helping more Americans
pursue a higher education, visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/ReachHigher ReachHigher.

Although earning a college degree is one of the most
important investments individuals can make for
themselves and for our country, it still feels out of
reach for too many American families. That is why we
have taken many steps to make college more affordable,
including doubling investments in grant and scholarship
aid through Pell Grants and tax credits, keeping
interest rates low on Federal student loans, and
helping borrowers manage debt after college through
programs like the Pay as You Earn plan. This year, we
launched the Free Application for Federal Student Aid_
which is available at www.FAFSA.gov--3 months earlier
than usual so that students can access financial aid
sooner and receive better information as they search
for and apply to colleges. And because every American
at any age and from any walk of life should be able to
earn the skills necessary to compete in the 21st-
century economy, I have proposed making community
college free for students with the drive and discipline
to work for it.

This month, we recognize the limitless potential in
every student and reaffirm our commitment to offering
them the resources they need to succeed. We thank not
only the teachers, counselors, and parents who support
students throughout the college application process,
but also the organizations and institutions partnering
with us to eliminate unnecessary barriers to higher

education. Let us celebrate the progress we have made
as more historically underserved students are enrolling
in college for the first time, more students are
graduating from college than ever before, and new
student loan defaults are on the decline. And together,
let us forge a future where every student has the
opportunity to go as far as their dreams and hard work
will take them.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 2016 as
National College Application Month. I call upon public
officials, educators, parents, students, and all
Americans to observe this month with appropriate
ceremonies, activities, and programs designed to
encourage students to make plans for and apply to
college.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.