<p>Will that plan push more kids to go to community college or trade school?</p>
<p>Yes, in that it’s targeted at those that wouldn’t have entered post-secondary education. No clue on what the break down would be between CC and trade school, but Tennessee does have 27 colleges of applied technology (TCATs), and 13 community colleges. </p>
<p>CC in our area offer classes that get students ready for college level credit courses. Some students are at CC for 2 years before they start earning any credit because they are all below 100 code classes. Is TN going to pay for those too I wonder? I have a senior student now who is failing 2 classes (poor attendance so poor grades) and may just barely pass them to graduate this week but he says he is going to a CC next year. I am sure his ability level will not qualify him for college credit classes and he will have to do prep classes at the CC. I hope there are conditions set on that “free” tuition.</p>
<p>I hear about this on the radio and the rep from TN said that part of the reason was to fill the shortage of some skills needed in the work force they are forecasting. </p>
<p>Where is all this talk about being color blind and focusing on need and poverty when affirmative action cases show up; no then it is everybody looking out for their own race. </p>
<p>Another major problem is that there are already too many unqualified students graduating from high school. I know kids, and I won’t mention their race for fear of being labeled a racist, who have failed three or more courses a semester all throughout high school and are still graduating on the conventional four year track. This is the major failure of the American education system passing kids along when they obviously aren’t ready. I fear they are starting to do the same thing with college.</p>
<p>Free tuition is not always as free as it seems. For example, I live in Massachusetts, and by hitting some arbitrary mark on my MCAS I received a “free” tuition scholarship to any Mass state school. In reality, tuition was around $2000 and fees made up the rest of the $12,000 cost. Free tuition is not free cost of attendance.</p>
<p>Yeah but people don’t live on the campus at community college (at least not the one in my area) so there is no cost of room and board which makes up most of the cost of attendance. The rest is covered by living at home or personal expenses and then all you have to pay for are the books. So, realistically if these kids take 5 classes get their books for $50 online and live with their parents, which most people in my area do, then its $250 a semester. If a semester lasts 4 months then its $60 a month down to $15 a week. See how quickly that price ball drops.</p>
<p>^^ You don’t need to mention their race because it’s irrelevant. The fact that you mentioned that you were NOT going to mention their race was unnecessary.</p>
<p>Perhaps like it is unnecessary to call a person racist for indicating a group by their race a clearly observable trait that connects the members of the observed group and making a statement that may or not be false with regards to the intention of this new program.</p>
<p>I’m a strong believer in second chances and the concept of growing up (after seeing what the real world is like). If the kids are motivated to go to CC; take the remedial classes and pass them, that’s a good thing. However, they are also going to have to come up with the additional funding to take the college level classes and continue their education. Better yet, some may be motivated to go to a trade school and develop some skills that will help them break out of poverty. </p>
<p>However, the fact is, most of those that keep failing classes in high school are not likely to continue on to CC or a trade school (for more than a class or two). Still, lets give some of these kids a second chance (but it’s up to them to take advantage of it). The financial exposer for the state is limited, since these kids don’t have the option of taking classes, failing them, and then taking them again. They do have to perform at a set academic level to earn the scholarships (and stay enrolled).</p>
<p>@jimmyboy23 When I say cost of attendance, I mean the cost of taking classes there as a commuter student. IDK if I used that term wrong, but my point is that Mass state schools have many “free tuition” students, and then they load you up with fees instead. Room and Board fees are separate from that. From an article:</p>
<p>“A frugal student who enrolled at a less expensive school, like Worcester State University, and who commuted from home to save on room and board would still be responsible for 88 percent of total costs. The Adams scholarship would pay for tuition, $970, but not for $7,187 in fees.”</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/10/23/mitt-romney-tuition-free-ride-covers-only-fraction-college-costs-originally-favored-white-suburban-students/rwD9Mg6ZFawNu7mSCf7MzK/story.html”>http://www.boston.com/politicalintelligence/2012/10/23/mitt-romney-tuition-free-ride-covers-only-fraction-college-costs-originally-favored-white-suburban-students/rwD9Mg6ZFawNu7mSCf7MzK/story.html</a></p>
<p>The tuition vs. fee’s thing in Mass is just crazy 8-} </p>
<p>Yes - that was part of a no new taxes pledge from a previous governor</p>
<p>We live in a place where only about 25 percent of adults have college degrees. It will be interesting to see how many life-long learners go to college – maybe people in their twenties or thirties who always wanted to but could never afford to go. I was so excited at the graduation at the college where I work this year to see two men in their sixties get BA’s! It would be great if this were to happen in TN as well.</p>
<p>Most other countries pay for their education! I met 6 Brazilians at my school who had not payed a dime to be at here in America.</p>
<p>Those Brazilians are likely part of Brazil’s “Science Without Borders program”, which provides scholarships for Brazilians to study abroad.</p>
<p>Education policy can differ a lot between countries, but lets use Brazil as an example. Since public universities are free of charge and there are a limited number of open slots, there is very high level of competition with the Vestibular (the Brazillian version of SAT/ACT). There are nearly 10 candidates for every place in public universities. So it’s free, but very selective.</p>
<p>“There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch”</p>
<p>I like this idea. IME most low income kids can already get Pell grants etc, so it may not really be needed for them. I was a bit concerned that it would increase the number of students that are there simply for something to do (to avoid having to get a job or move out for example), but after seeing the requirements, I don’t think that will happen. I love the mentor aspect of it…that will help a lot of students stay in school and complete a degree. What I think I like best about it is that it allows those students (and I’ve met several) whose families make too much money to qualify for aid but either can’t or won’t help the student pay for college to go to school. This way they don’t have to wait so long to start college. I can kind of see how it will have an impact on the socioeconomic make up of 4 year universities in that the percentage of higher income students there may increase. On the other hand, there are already many low income students at those schools, so unless this also means doing away with the Pell grant, I don’t think it will really change the numbers. </p>
<p>I also like the idea of a second chance for those who didn’t do so well in high school. I barely graduated. I had to take 2 classes every summer from 7-12th grade to stay in the grade I was supposed to be in. I “walked” for my diploma in the cafeteria in July. I wasn’t stupid or lazy (though many thought of me that way), I just had undiagnosed ADHD and was bullied by my peers. When someone is constantly ridiculed by others, grades are the least of his or her concerns. It took me a while, but I got myself back into school and I graduated with my AA and am now at the University of Florida. While I realize that that’s not a big deal to many, for someone who barely graduated high school it is. It may not be super impressive, but many who apply don’t get it, so I’m proud of myself…especially since I did it as a low income single mother. My point is, that just because someone does badly in high school doesn’t always mean that they are dumb or hopeless and can’t do well in college. And I just have to comment…2 years of remedial classes? HOW? My CC didn’t even offer enough remedial classes to make up 2 years. Even after my horrible high school performance and being out of school for over 10 years, I still only needed 3 remedial math classes to start college level math (I graduate with pre-algebra as my highest math) and started college level comp right away. </p>
<p>As a Memphis resident who lived and was educated on the east coast at one of the most expensive in-state tuition schools in the country it really galls me that there are people ( some residents as well) who complain about the state covering ( or not covering cost of tuition. </p>
<p>Think about it, at 8-10,700 tuition you can graduate with less than 50 k in debt with a standard aid… quit complaining and borrow like the rest of the world… end rant</p>
<p>50K is way too much debt for the average student.</p>