Hi, everybody.
大家好！
Over the next couple weeks, schools all across the country will be opening their doors.
未来几个星期，全美各地的学校将陆续开学。
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.
学生们将穿上校服重返校园，参加学校的运动队、仪仗队、演奏团等；而爸爸妈妈们也会一起欣赏这些开学日的照片。这些父母当中也包括我和米歇尔。
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.
因此，今天，我想直接与学子及其家长们讨论一件尤为重要的事情，而这件事是大家可以在今年之内实现的。那就是为自己的大学做好准备。
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.
我们都知道，在当今的经济环境中，你是否上过完整的大学、社区学院或参加过职业培训直接关系到你能否跻身中产阶级。
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.
拥有本科学历的普通美国人每年的收入要比那些只有高中学历的人的收入高2.8万美元。
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.
而且前者在职业上升通道上也具有领先优势。拥有本科学历人员的失业率比只有高中学历的人要低三分之一。
But for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle.
但对于全国众多的家庭而言，支付大学的学费却是永远的伤痛。
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.
今年早些时候，一位名叫伊丽莎白·库珀的女孩给我写信，告诉我像她这样的中产家庭在支付大学学费这件事情上有多么艰难。
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.”
如同她信中所说的，她们家“很普通无法引起重视，不是穷的不行能得到别人的关心，也不是富得流油能受到眷顾”。
Michelle and I know the feeling – we only finished paying off our student loans ten years ago.
米歇尔和我对此是有亲身体会的，我们也是十年前才刚刚还完我们的大学贷款。
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，我要确保像伊丽莎白这样的同学能够上得起大学，而且不能背负沉重的债务负担。
We reformed a student loan system so that more money goes to students instead of big banks.
我们对助学贷款体系进行了改革，让钱能更多的直接交到学生手中而不是留在大型银行手里。
We expanded grants and college tax credits for students and families.
我们扩大了奖学金发放范围，为学生和其家庭提供更多的大学税收减免。
We took action to offer millions of students a chance to cap their student loan payments at 10% of their income.
我们还采取措施确保大学生每月的贷款还款额不超过其收入的10%，这将惠及数百万学子。
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.
国会也应该通过立法，在当前的低利率条件下，让学生可以转换贷款，就像他们的父母转按揭住房贷款一样。
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.
但由于大学运营成本不断上涨，我们也不能仅仅依靠不断投入来解决这一问题。大学本身也应该做出努力降低云隐成本。
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，我们提出了一项计划，将联邦资金援助与高校的运行绩效关联起来，打造一个新的高校评价体系，让学生和家长们能一目了然地知道，哪所大学能为他们省更多的钱。
We launched a new 75 million challenge to inspire colleges to reduce costs and raise graduation rates.
我们启动了一项斥资7500万美元的评比项目，激励高校降低运营成本、提高学生毕业率。
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多名大学校长、非营利机构的负责人齐聚白宫，共同承诺要为缺少关怀的学生提供更多机遇。
Since then, we've met with even more leaders who want to create new community-based partnerships and support school counselors.
之后，有更多相关领导人与我们会面，表示希望打造新的社会合作机制，提供更多辅导员职位。
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，教育部长阿恩·邓肯宣布了一系列政策，将帮助需要帮助的学子顺利完成大学学业。
This is a challenge I take personally.
这对于我来说是一个挑战。
And to all you young people, now that you're heading back to school, your education is something you have to take personally, also.
对于所有年轻人而言，你们现在要重返校园，你们自己必须要坚持完成大学学业。
It's up to you to push yourself; to take hard classes and read challenging books.
能否督促自己，上完难学的课程，啃完大学的书本，这都取决于你们自身。
Science shows that when you struggle to solve a problem or make a new argument, you're actually forming new connections in your brain.
科学研究表明，当你经过千辛万苦解决了一个问题或提出一个新的观点时，你的大脑细胞就多了一条连接。
So when you're thinking hard, you're getting smarter.
因此只要你们努力思考，你们就会变得越来越聪明。
Which means this year, challenge yourself to reach higher.
因此，今年挑战一下自己，追求更高的目标。
And set your sights on college in the years ahead.
把你们的目光投向未来要上的大学。
Your country is counting on you.
你们就是祖国的未来。
And don't forget to have some fun along the way, too.
当然，别忘了在这个过程中享受快乐。
Thanks everybody. Good luck on the year ahead.
谢谢各位！祝大家在未来的日子里学业有成！ |