A new initiative from TN & OR - Free rides for Students!

We have discussed the rising cost of education in the universities in USA in the last blog. Addressing this alarming problem are the two states- Tennessee and Oregon. In May 2014, Tennessee passed the Tennessee Promise Bill and has become the first state in the nation to offer a free community college education to select students. The impetus was an estimate from the University of Tennessee that 55% of jobs in the state will be requiring a post-secondary diploma by 2025 - and as presently a meager 32% of Tennessee population holds two-year degrees. This path-breaking step has allowed several deserving students the opportunity to attend two years of community or technical college without tuition fees.

Under state Tennessee's free community college program, "Tennessee Promise" scholarships are to be handed out to students who have the ability to maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 and whose all other financial aid sources are exhausted. Pell Grants and Tennessee Hope scholarships are a few examples. The aim here is to attract approximately 500,000 high school grads over the next ten years who wouldn’t otherwise have thought of attending college.

Now you are probably wondering how these scholarships are being paid for. The Tennessee Promise scholarships are being supported by $110 million in surplus reserves from the state's lottery and another $47 million donation by the states' General Assembly. In entirety, the average scholarship per student is anticipated to be around $971, although that also comprises of donations received from the in-state Hope scholarships and other probable financial aid.

Now if we talk about the Oregon Promise it will allocate $10 million to no less than 10,000 potential in-state college students, even though the prerequisites to be eligible in Oregon are a bit harder than in Tennessee. The students must be recent graduate with GED or diploma and have minimum of 2.5 GPA. As in Tennessee, students are required to apply for federal and in-state grants first, and then can seek assistance program. Additionally, so as to incentivize student success, the eligible participants must sustain a cumulative GPA of or above 2.5, show acceptable scholastic progress, complete a FAFSA every year, and remain registered at least half time for the three semesters in each academic year. Lastly, all students are required to make a $50 per term co-payment to display their individual pledge to college. The state has started accepting applications in November for the fall session.

Now you may argue that the Oregon promise has certain restrictive requirements but I would like to point out that it is quite a generous middle-dollar scholarship because it is offering minimum benefit of $1000. The students who hail from low-income group will have their tuition covered by federal grants and also cover the college cost outside tuition including transport, nooks, food and housing.

We have the capacity to make tuition fee at public two-year universities and colleges in USA for all those who are motivated to work hard for it and ability to deliver results.