The Analysis Shows The Challenges Of Implementing A Transformational College Affordability Program
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the Excelsior Scholarship, which pays tuition for New York public college students, last year.
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After New York officials announced a plan to pay college tuition for middle-class students last year, Domonique Baker was pretty sure she would qualify for the money.
When I first heard about the scholarship, I read everything, the now 27-year-old hospital registration representative said. Through her research, Baker learned that she met what she thought were the major requirements: Her annual income was below the $110,000 maximum and she was pursuing a bachelors degree at one of New Yorks public universities, SUNY-New Paltz. Baker filled out the application and waited to hear back, calling multiple times to check up on her status.
There are too many barriers, misunderstandings, lack of trust and too many catches.
Sara Goldrick-Rab, professor of higher education policy and sociology at Temple University
Shortly before she was set to start her last year of classes, Baker said learned she didnt qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship, as its known, because she was attending school part-time, balancing her schedule with a full-time job working overnights at a hospital. It was marketed to middle-class families and working families and, unfortunately, everybodys reality is different, Baker said, adding that hers includes a full-time job.
More states are offering free college programs
The Biden Plan For Free Community College Has A Big Challenge
A federal solution has to account for states that vary widely in how much they charge for tuition.
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Coming up with a national policy for a college system that is decentralized is a lot tougher than it seems.
As part of the $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, the Biden administration plans to fund free community college, even as the administration steps back from a more ambitious campaign promise of making public four-year colleges tuition-free for most students.
The case for free tuition at public two-year colleges has become stronger during the pandemic. As the country recovers from the recession, unemployed workers without college credentials are having a much harder time finding jobs. Community colleges provide a diverse population of students with an affordable way to retool and take the first steps toward opportunity.
The plan that President Biden is expected to detail on Wednesday in an address to Congress would spend $109 billion over 10 years to make community college tuition-free. It would also increase the maximum Pell grant a voucher that low- and moderate-income students use to pay for tuition, fees, books, room and board by $1,400, on top of a $400 increase in the administrations proposed 2022 budget.
But as three recently introduced congressional proposals show, devising such policies has its challenges.
Kevin Carey directs the education policy program at New America. You can follow him on Twitter at
What Does It Mean When A College Offers Tuition
Tuition-free colleges are ideal for low-income students and professionals who want to expand their employment opportunities without accruing debt. Some schools offer full-tuition waivers to qualifying degree seekers. Often, schools only waive tuition for students from particular geographic regions or economic backgrounds. Some institutions waive tuition for professionals working in a particular field.
However, students who receive tuition waivers typically pay with their time. Most colleges that offer free tuition require students to fulfill work or service commitments. Some accredited tuition-free colleges assist students who agree to participate in community service or pursue a particular career path. Many working professionals choose tuition-free online colleges.
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Earn Your Degree And Grab A Long And Rewarding Job
New York is fertile ground for a nursing career. You can find work in the city or you can venture out into rural Upstate New York and find just as big a demand for well-educated nurses. Listed below are dozens of accredited nursing schools, all located in New York. What’s really amazing is that beyond these options you also have many more dozen online nursing schools that offer an even larger selection of specialties and many just as good as their campus-based counterparts.
Useful Facts About Nursing Programs In New York
- There are 105 nursing schools in New York. The CCNE accredits 45 nursing schools and the ACEN accredits 73 schools in New York.
- On average, attending an RN program in New York will cost you between $4,227.00 and $34,268.00 per year.
- In New York, the average undergraduate student borrows between $4,725.00 and $14,000.00 per year.
- Typically, an Associate Degree in Nursing will take between 18 to 24 months to complete, and a Bachelor Degree in Nursing will take about 4 years to complete.
- The average, the NCLEX passing rate range for New York ADN students is between 37.63% and 98.24%.
- On average, the NCLEX passing rate range for New York BSN students is between 42.50% and 100.00%.
- The average annual salary for a registered nurse in New York is between $52,080 to $111,220;a year.
- Registered Nurses throughout the country and in New York can expect a favorable job growth of 15 percent from 2016 to 2026 which;much faster than the average for all occupations.
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Why New York’s ‘tuition
Governor Andrew Cuomo talks to the media after meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump… at Trump Tower in New York on January 18, 2017.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is working to make New York the first state to offer free tuition at all its public colleges and universities.
Cuomo’s $163 million plan, which was announced last month and requires approval by the state legislature, would provide free tuition to residents whose families earn less than $125,000 per year to any of New York’s state universities , city colleges or community colleges.
“A college education is not a luxury it is an absolute necessity for any chance at economic mobility, and with these first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarships, were providing the opportunity for New Yorkers to succeed, no matter what zip code they come from and without the anchor of student debt weighing them down,” Cuomo said in a statement.
Is It Really Free?
Not exactly.
According to the State University of New York, tuition for state residents is $6,470 for the current academic year. Tuition for the current academic year for residents at City University of New York schools and community colleges is $6,330 and $4,350, respectively.
While tuition would be provided through the Excelsior Scholarship and supplement existing state and federal loans and grants, students would be responsible for room, board and other fees:
SUNY Non-Tuition Costs
Total = $12,300
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Bringing A Better Work Force To Knoxville
In 2008, small businesses in Knox County, in eastern Tennessee, could not find enough skilled workers particularly nurses, computer technicians, welders and pipe fitters. In response, the county started a program, funded by local businesses and leaders, that offered tuition-free community college to all high school graduates. The programs founders framed it as a way to create a sustainable work force.
Yes, we believe that all students have the potential to earn a college credential, but it was about bringing a world-class work force to Knoxville and Knox County so that we could attract business and industry to the area, said Krissy DeAlejandro, an executive director and one of the founders of the program.
More than a decade later, the results are encouraging.
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Participants who graduated from high school in 2009, 2010 and 2011 were earning, on average, 13 percent more seven years after graduation than their classmates who did not participate in the program, according to research by the University of Tennessee. The fact that they found any increases in terms of earnings is meaningful, said Michelle Miller-Adams, a senior researcher at the Upjohn Institute and an expert on the tuition-free college movement.
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In the three years after it started, the program raised college enrollment among Knox County high school graduates by about 3 percentage points, on average, from the average of the previous two years.
States Which Offer Tuition
The Arkansas Future Grant is a last-dollar grant that is available to students pursuing a two-year program in science, technology, engineering, and math fields or a regional high demand area of study.
Eligibility Criteria
Students who have graduated from an Arkansas public school or received a recognized high school equivalency diploma, and have lived in the state for three consecutive years are eligible to apply for the program.
Apart from that, a recipient must complete eight hours of community service per semester and must work full-time for three consecutive years in the state following graduation.
Unlike most of the programs in this list, California Promise is a first-dollar program, which means it provides tuition waivers to students, regardless of additional funding or grants the students are eligible for.
Eligibility Criteria
As one of the best examples of free community college on this list, state resident students planning to attend or attending a two-year or four-year degree can apply.
Only full-time students are eligible, which means students must complete 30-semester units within each academic year.
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Avoiding Student Loan Debt
Although students in a free online college degree program do not pay tuition, they still must cover the cost of housing, fees, and other expenses. Student loans can provide an easy method of paying for college education, but students should consider other options before resorting to this form of financial assistance. These loans often come with high interest rates. For undergraduate direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans, the interest rate is 5.05%. Similar graduate loans charge 6.6% interest and PLUS loans charge a 7.6% interest rate. These numbers vary year by year based on the state of the economy. Private loans charge even higher interest rates.
Failing to repay student loans can lead to ruined credit and garnished wages. Unlike other forms of debt, bankruptcy does not automatically clear student loans. With these factors in mind, any loan received can damage students’ financial futures.
To avoid student loans, degree candidates can work through school or enroll in a university payment plan. Students may also use grants, scholarships, and work-study options. Working students should check with their employers about tuition reimbursement. Students can also enroll in credit-heavy semesters to shorten the number of semesters needed to finish program requirements.
The Top 10 Community Colleges In New York
Since admitting its first class of students in 1960, Nassau Community College has grown into the largest single-campus community college in the state. Around 225 acres of campus facilities and greenspaces await students who enroll at this Long Island school.
Academically oriented programs at NCC include biology, chemistry, Afro-American studies and foreign languages. Several technical degrees and certificate programs are available as well, in subjects like medical laboratory technology, culinary arts, information technology and mortuary science.
Nearly 30,000 students attend classes online or on-campus at this SUNY school. Hundreds of classes are available through distance education, and numerous campus-based coursework can be taken on an evening schedule if your days are dedicated to work or family.
Westchester Community College may be one of the best community colleges in New York for students seeking an affordable path to a certificate or degree. This SUNY institution in the tiny hamlet of Valhalla posted the lowest in-state tuition rate of any school to make our top ten, charging an average of just over $4,800 for a year of instruction.
WCC also has one of the more intimate learning environments on our list. Despite educating around 11,500 students each semester, the student-faculty ratio here is a comfortable 14:1.
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How Much Can You Earn
Without a doubt New York hands out some of the better salaries to nurses, as well it’s a high cost of living state.
Compare the salary range for a staff RN in Albany between $55,000 and $67,000 with that of salaries for RNs in Brooklyn and New York City between $65,000 and $78,000. If nothing else this illustrates the difference between urban and rural RN salaries. Other factors that will drive these salary ranges up or down include your level of education, experience in the industry, your specialization and the type of facility.
For information on state licensure requirements visit the New York State Board of Nursing.
Gov Cuomo And Sen Sanders Unveil Free College Tuition Plan
According to Cuomo’s office, the budget includes a record $7.5 billion for higher education though that’s only a 6.3 percent increase from 2016.
An estimated 80 percent of New York State’s families with college-age kids could use the new program. The governor’s estimate of 940,000 affected families does not include adult students entering college for the first time, who are also eligible.
The Excelsior Scholarship will be included in the state’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid , and students will see that they are eligible when they fill out the forms this spring.
There is no age limit for the program; once students receive the Excelsior Scholarship they must be enrolled full-time with an average of at least 30 credits per year and continue to meet the minimum GPA requirement for their program.
The state is also investing $8 million in electronic books in order to lower costs for students, a spokesperson for Cuomo’s office told NBC News.
Despite additional funding for supplies, the program left some critics wondering about whether it fairly addresses the needs of low-income students.
New York Assemblyman Victor M. Pichardo, based in the Bronx, represents a district where nearly one-third of families live below the poverty line. He told NBC News that very poor students face a different reality than students making $99,000 a year. The Excelsior Scholarship would award the same tuition assistance to both.
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Leading The Way To College Affordability
We’ve made college tuition-free for middle class New Yorkers.
With the passage of the FY 2018 State Budget, New York is now home to the nation’s first accessible college program – The Excelsior Scholarship.
Under this groundbreaking program, more than 940,000 middle-class families and individuals making up to $125,000 per year will qualify to attend college tuition-free at all CUNY and SUNY two- and four-year colleges in New York State. The new program begins in the fall of 2017 and will be phased in over three years.
In order to apply, students must:
– Be residents of New York State- Plan to attend SUNY or CUNY two- or four-year college- Complete 30 credits per year towards their program of study – Plan to live and work in New York following graduation for the length of time they participate in the scholarship program
Which States Have A Free Community College
- Which States Have a Free Community College?
Community college is often a great choice financially for students to gain valuable higher education at little cost to them, especially if they live in a state offering community college tuition-free. This article discusses which states have free community college programs and what the requirements are for each.
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Pro Rns How To Boost Salary And Job Satisfaction In New York
One of the biggest challenges facing healthcare everywhere is retention of mid-career nurses. Why? Most are overworked and underpaid to put it simply. If you’re a nurse you know all about staffing levels and nurses salaries, but you don’t have to leave your career to grab hold of a much more lucrative and engaging job. You’re lucky in New York: you have the best of ALL worlds’large metro area, rural and suburban areas. Advanced practice nurse midwives, practitioners, and anesthetists are all in high demand everywhere and they earn considerably more than any unit RN. Two of the coolest nursing specialties right now are forensic nursing and legal nursing.