For some college students nationwide, including those at Amarillo College, the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, signed into law this summer, is far from “beautiful.”
Community colleges like ours are meant to be a place where ambition meets affordability, but some aspects of this new law risk turning our dreams into a financial nightmare, leaving many of us to wonder if we are, in fact, going to be one of those children left behind.
Far from creating opportunity, parts of this new law threaten to deepen the divide between those who can afford college without worry and those who scrape together the funds every semester and rely on financial assistance.
We, the Ranger staff, believe this act undermines the promise of higher education as a pathway out of poverty and creates a system where the wealthy stay well-educated and informed, while everyone else is left with fewer options.
This act is reshaping federal student aid as we know it. Pell Grants, which have long been a lifeline for low-income students, now come with higher enrollment thresholds and stricter eligibility requirements. These changes create additional barriers for students who rely on this support to access education. By eliminating Grad PLUS loans and capping total borrowing at a fraction of what many professional programs cost, the bill could prevent aspiring doctors, lawyers and social workers from pursuing their careers. The law also removes important safety nets for new borrowers, with fewer options for putting off loan payments or delaying them. This forces students in lower-paying but vital professions, like teaching and public service, to choose between their passion and financial security, which ultimately harms not just them but the communities they serve.
Beyond student aid, the bill also makes deep cuts to programs like SNAP and Medicaid, necessities for students facing food and housing insecurity and those who are eligible for medical care coverage. For Amarillo College students, who often juggle work, family and school, these cuts strike directly at their ability to stay enrolled.
On a positive note, the bill is expanding 529 plans to cover workforce credentials, which may help students pursuing certificates in fields like welding, nursing or information technology. For a workforce-driven college like AC, that change has value. But this modest step cannot offset the larger reality: aid cuts, loan restrictions and strict accountability rules together make higher education less accessible, less diverse and less fair.
Also, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act gives tax relief to some, but it does so at the expense of students striving to climb the economic ladder and achieve the American dream. Its rules favor those who already have advantages, while making a better education less attainable for the working-class, the nontraditional and the underrepresented. The bill rewards the already-advantaged while shutting the door on those who need it most.
If lawmakers were serious about strengthening the nation’s future, they would invest in education, not strip it down. They would ensure students can pursue meaningful careers without drowning in debt.
Amarillo College is already contributing to the community by offering nationally-recognized programs like THRIVE, which is now being replaced by Badger Bound. This initiative aims to ensure that a high-quality education remains free and accessible for students in the surrounding area.
According to the Federal Student Aid website, some students may have already noticed the effects of the bill, with some changes already in place and more set to roll out in the future.
Students must raise their voices; this is not just a budgetary adjustment in Washington, it is a direct threat to the promise of education as a pathway forward. Education access is not a partisan talking point. It is a public good. And in passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act, Congress has endangered that good. The burden now falls on the students, educators and citizens to demand better and fight for an education system that is open, fair and truly accessible to all.
Leave a Reply