The race for the presidency of the United States between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was decided around 5 a.m. on Nov. 6. For as many people who were asleep for it, there was an equal number of those who had bloodshot eyes glued to a TV, laptop or phone screen.
The election of Trump as the 47th President of the United States will leave a mark on the country and usher in a new era of the presidency. But what does this mean for students? Here’s how Trump’s potential new policies will affect those in college.
Higher education
Trump has vowed to “abolish” the Department of Education. This is an overhaul that would require approval from Congress and a great deal of force, but it is not out of the question under Trump’s rule. He is not the first Republican to attempt this; Ronald Reagan also promised to do away with the department.
Trump’s desire to do away with the Department of Education would impact higher education, as the department oversees student loan providers such as FAFSA. The program enables many students to afford to attend college through federal student loans and grant programs.
However, Trump has laid out a plan that would lead to increased funding and “Merit Pay” for teachers in schools that adopt his “reforms,” which include getting rid of teacher tenure and decreasing the number of school administrators.
Trump has also proposed creating an “American Academy” that would provide “world-class” education to every American, with no cost for attendance. This academy would award students the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree recognized by the federal government and all federal contractors, according to his Agenda47 platform.
DEI
Trump also promised to continue removing diversity, equity and inclusion mandates and bureaucrats from higher education. Universities across the country have already experienced changes, such as decreased racial diversity from the Supreme Court’s June 2023 ruling to ban affirmative action policies in college admissions, according to The College Fix.
Additionally, Trump vowed to enact college entrance and exit exams, enforce harsher regulations regarding college campus protests, combat antisemitism by implementing protection policies for Jewish students and reverse modifications to Title IX implemented by the Biden administration.
Debt cancellation
Over half of students (55%) from public four-year institutions owe student loans, according to Forbes’ 2024 data.
Trump and his administration have yet to give a plan for debt cancellation and, in the past, have criticized measures of Biden’s loan forgiveness.
Climate
Data reported by Statista between 2015 and 2018 showed that 51% of 18- to 34-year-olds believe global warming “would pose a serious threat within their lifetime.”
“Among Americans ages 18 to 29, 48% say the U.S. should exclusively use renewables,” according to data from the Pew Research Center.
In public statements, Trump has called green energy a “scam,” climate change a “hoax” and has addressed that climate change is not a concern of his or his administration.
The economy
Concerns over the state of the economy composed much of the discussion surrounding Harris and Trump’s campaigns. A majority of voters (52%) cited the candidates’ positions on the economy as an “extremely” important influence on their vote, according to a poll by Gallup. Trump’s economic plan was a key decision-maker for voters, as 54% viewed him as the better candidate to handle the economy.
The president-elect’s plan for the economy involves lots of tax breaks, namely eliminating the federal tax on tips and Social Security in some states as well as the tax on overtime.
He also has vowed to help the middle class by temporarily capping interest rates for credit cards at less than half their current rates. Trump intends to increase tariffs in order to help implement some of those cuts.
With the Republican party in control of the Senate and presidency, alongside a Supreme Court with three Trump appointees, he is in a comfortable position to enact his proposed reforms. College students across the nation can expect to directly experience the impacts of his presidency.
