Daniel O’Brien

Contributing Writer

I’m a senior at East Stroudsburg University in Northeastern Pennsylvania. I followed the college path that financial advisors across the nation swear by. I earned an Associate’s Degree from an affordable community college before beginning a Bachelor’s Program.

The daily commute is made possible by a paid-off, semi-reliable eighteen-year-old car. I worked throughout college. I sold plasma. Unnecessary recreational expenditures are rarely seen on my credit card bill. And still, when it comes time to pay at the end of each semester a shocking, higher-than-before number glares back from the computer screen.

Student success fees? General fees? Transportation fee? What do these even mean? When students choose a college, they don’t usually consider these kinds of charges. Yet those charges add so quickly to the already stressful task of paying your tuition. This semester, these costs accounted for approximately 33% of my bill.

For students from low-income backgrounds, the means for turning childhood astronaut dreams into a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering feel as far away as the Andromeda Galaxy. Luckily, financial resources mean that college does not have to be an out-of-reach fantasy. One of these resources is the federal Pell Grant.

The Pell Grant changes millions of lives each year. Since the grant’s creation in 1965, roughly 80 million students have been supported in postsecondary pursuits. The average Pell Grant award in the 2025-26 school year was $5,300. Nearly 30% of all Pell Grant recipients come from an annual family income not exceeding $20,000. This money goes a long way for students from low-income backgrounds.

The logic seems straightforward: support students throughout college, and they earn a degree. This degree unlocks new jobs. These jobs support public well-being, and the cycle continues. Investment in students, such as a fully funded Pell Grant program, shows time and time again to create a better-off society. Sadly, there is a dark cloud looming over the future of college funding.

In 2021, FAFSA reforms expanded the eligibility criteria for Pell Grant recipients, creating the need to support an additional 7 million students. Then, in July 2026, Workforce Pell allowed Pell Grant dispersal to many workforce programs, adding 100,000 students to the Pell Grant pool. Lastly, 760,000 students may access Pell with the reinstatement of Pell for incarcerated learners.

Though all of this may seem like good news, these changes were made without proper funding in place.

Now, the Pell Grant is facing a $17 billion shortfall. If Congress fails to close the funding gap, low-income students will be forced into unreasonable alternatives to paying for college. They may have to work additional hours, which would mean that they’d have less studying time and achievable credits. This would force them to spend extra semesters in school, leaving them staggering under the weight of higher tuition costs. Also, some loan options prey on students from low-income backgrounds via high-interest rates. These exploitative options may lead thousands of students to abandon their college goals

We know that higher education is a path to better healthcare access, higher salaries, and increased community engagement. College educated citizens cast informed votes and become involved in policymaking. College educated parents do not have to choose between prescriptions and groceries for their families. They have enough in their pockets to see a movie or enjoy a meal out.

When economic stability becomes the norm rather than the exception, we are a stronger nation with stronger people.

But we can only achieve that if Congress has the courage to fully fund the Pell Grant program immediately, and it’s our duty, as students and citizens, to fight for the future that we’re at risk of losing. Congress can choose to support us, or leave us to sink in debt. And any member of Congress who doesn’t choose to support us, won’t be getting our votes in November.