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President Barack Obama Sets off on Campus Bus Tour; Vows to Lower Tuition Costs

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President Barack Obama will continue his efforts to make college more affordable by working to lower tuition costs, Inside Higher Ed reported.

Obama released a message via the White House' website detailing his "personal mission" to make college more affordable for all. The President's message came after a report stating more students than ever are relying on federal aid to fund college.

Obama said the details of his proposal will be released during his two-day bus tour beginning Thursday. He said he will be visiting various college campuses and that his plan will involve schools themselves. He said the proposals will not be "popular with everyone," including those in the higher education business.

"Just tinkering around the edges won't be enough," the president wrote. "To create a better bargain for the middle class, we have to fundamentally rethink about how higher education is paid for in this country."

While details are not yet known, some observers believe Obama was singling out for-profit schools, while others though he meant all higher education institutions for acting in their own interests and in the students.'

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students are using more federal aid than ever to pay for college. While federal student loan rates will be at a manageable 3.9 percent for this year, that figure will only go up as the economy improves, like many expect it to.

Obama said he and the First Lady Michelle Obama could relate to the financial struggles of post-graduate students and the large amount of student loan debt many are accumulating.

"Michelle and I know exactly how tough it can be to pay for higher education," the President wrote. "By the time we finished paying back the loans we took out to go to college and grad school, I was on my way to being a U.S. Senator."

Also contributing to high costs are other expenses like room and board, food, books and supplies. Recent data shows the average cost of such expenses is equal to and exceeds tuition. It is not known if Obama's plan will include college expenses outside of tuition.

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