My brother Mike, who lives in McHenry County, Illinois, sent me information about a free tuition program which at first I didn’t believe. His story was that EVERY high school senior in McHenry County would begin to receive free tuition toward an education at McHenry County College, beginning in September, 2009. What? Not possible. That’s potentially about 4000 students, according to what I found out later. How could they do such a thing? Where was the money coming from? Is the large goose of gold-laying fame dropping its eggs around McHenry County?
Well, shocked though I was, the story is true–something you might want to start in your own community if you are so lucky as to have a two year college. MCC Promise is the name of the program, and it is funded, as best as I can understand, mostly by donations from residents of the county. It will cover any remaining school tuition after other scholarships and aid have been applied. Books and other school needs are not included. The hitch? Complete the FAFSA form, which everyone attending college does in any case. The program has projected out five years of funding every student who wishes to attend MCC. Is there a catch? Yes, if you count the 16 hours monthly of community service required by the student–another great idea!
This is an extraordinary deal, dovetailing nicely with my earlier post touting the dollar value of attending community colleges. Now, not only can you save thousands of dollars in McHenry County by at least starting out at a two year school, you can actually attend college for free!
Here is a vid link to the story behind the MCC Promise program. Look carefully, you just might see a large goose in the background.
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