Free College Tuition in NY State

Are we talking about private schools as well?
(I would oppose that.)

If not, then do out-of-state students get to attend state schools for free, or is this only for in-state students?

The free tuition only applies to students attending at a SUNY (State University of New York) or CUNY (City University of New York), not private institutions.

It is being phased in over three years to include students from homes with up to $125,000.00 annual income.

Other requirements:
Resident of New York State for at least one year prior to acceptance into the program.

Maintain residency in the state after graduating until the
number of years free tuition was received has been matched.
(2 years tuition=2 years residency after graduation)

Students must be full time, at least 30 credits per year.

Students must maintain a GPA which puts them on track for
successful completion of their course of study.

It's just now passed in the budget. it's for public colleges for in state residents who's families make less then x amount/year. It's for tuition only, does not include room and board, books, fees etc. For out of state students, I'm not sure, they may have to establish legal residence before they can qualify, or something like that.

When I went to CUNY, it was free. They were about to institute tuition the year after I graduated. I felt bad about it. They also significantly lowered standards. And they had remedial classes for the first time. Not my idea of college. I'm glad they're requiring higher standards for the students who don't pay tuition.

Back when I went to college:

CUNY, (City University for New York), was tuition free. Room and board not an issue, as no CUNY colleges had dorms.

SUNY, (State University of New York). State college system from NYC's system. Tuition was $400 yearly. If you took the state scholarship test, (which also functioned as the state college entrance exam), and placed in the top 10% for your county, you got at least $350 and up, according to need. Room and board was extra, but students were able to get together and rent places much cheaper than the dorm.

California State University System, free tuition, don't know about dorms.

I've posted on this before on a2k, but I'll add it here too - in my time, University of California was free, thank goodness. We had to pay a fee (my first semester was $19.00) and for books and manage to get to the campus, some having to travel quite a bit.

Reagan changed all that.

It sounds like reparations for white kids whose ancestors were European peasants.

I'm against this means-testing. Sometimes you get religious extremist families who want to tell their kids what they're allowed to study. If that family is also rich, the kids won't be able to thumb their noses at the parents, apply to free state schools, and study what they like.



This a great deal for the state and will keep young, talented kids in the state (although...is New York really lacking in young talent?). There will be some very bitter kids , though, when they leave the state prematurely and are hit with a massive tuition bill.

They would still be able to apply; however, it would mean stepping away from the home and being entirely their own person. Then they would be eligible according to whatever income they had. That was the method which I used in order to get assistance.

As far as means testing, there should be no strings attached, I agree. That said, if there isn't a financial line, then the state has to foot the entire bill. That of course translates into the taxpayer paying for all students, including those who are living high on the hog- students receiving free education and big bucks and wheels from their parents.

A good alternative (I feel), would be some sort of required part time work for/from all students, then, a free education would be much more palatable.

I've heard people argue that college shouldn't be free, that if kids want higher education they should work their way through with a job. I've heard others complain that this just another give away program from the Left and can only result in higher taxes. Yet others say that higher education is a luxury and if one can't afford it he should just do without.

Good point.
I went to a catholic college first, but, as little as the tuition was, we couldn't afford it. I was lucky in that the UC university was close by - I could take the bus. My life changed. I was talking about this with a friend just this week. I was very happy, thrilled with so much I could learn there. And did.

Part of why my grades were middle meh was that I worked 32 or more hours a week and took a bunch of buses to get to the work places. Long story on the whys.

After all these years, I'm not sorry about the working, I learned a lot there too.

When it comes to working, I'm more inclined towards reasonable work schedule in the trade for a free education. More along the lines of a 20 hour work week and either on campus or a short distance from there (under a mile). Perhaps a tax incentive for local employers. This will help the student learn the responsibility of a job and still leave enough time for studies and a few outside interests.

The bottom line is the cost of an education has gone way out of reach for many, even at community colleges.

52% of working age Russians have 4 year degrees. Under 30% of working age Americans do. And Russia has one fourth our GDP per capita.

If they can afford it, so can we.

I don't disagree with you, think you are right, good ideas.

My situation was odd. I was refused a state scholarship at that first college since my father had earned a lot (well, to us) in, I think, January. Nothing after that. And after that. And after.. ad infinitum.

I was already working after school and weekends from being sixteen, and so continued. I never saw a counselor at uni, no time on my hands, bus to catch.
Not to whine, I know a lot deal with money troubles.

Although not required, I worked at the school library. I took the subway to school every day. I worked during the summers after I turned 18.

I had earned some kind of merit award in high school, which covered the cost of books.

If I hadn't gotten into a city university, it would have been a terrible struggle for my parents to pay tuition.

Or, that may just show the value of that four year degree.

Con: the quality of the education might drop.

Pro: more educated people generally make better choices.

Blickers wrote:


Quote roger:

LOL, I was afraid somebody would put it like that.

Russia's problem is social order-they've had nothing but totalitarianism and thuggery for the last 100 years. Despite great mineral wealth and a highly educated populace, in many ways their standard of living is closer to Third World than First World. Plus, in order to start a business you need capital. Russians are so anti-semitic that they think Jews run the world's financial system, so if you take out a loan you're just signing your life away to the Jews. So they don't believe in credit.

They apparently are satisfied with endless excuses about how it's all the United States' doing that their life sucks.