Free College Tuition in NY State

@Krumple,

Krumple wrote:

Con: the quality of the education might drop.

I found the opposite to be the case. It was harder to get into the free schools, and the requirements for staying in were higher than they were when the university started charging tuition.

2 Replies

@Roberta,

Roberta wrote:

Krumple wrote:

Con: the quality of the education might drop.

I found the opposite to be the case. It was harder to get into the free schools, and the requirements for staying in were higher than they were when the university started charging tuition.

That's good but why increase the difficulty in attending?

2 Replies

@Krumple,

In my time, getting into a University of Ca was about grades.

I do not understand Krumple.

0 Replies

@Krumple,

Krumple, I assume that the requirements are higher because it's free. A privilege and with that comes responsibility.

The year after I graduated from the city university, it started charging tuition. And, as I mentioned earlier, it started offering remedial classes in the basics. No such classes were in the curriculum when there was no tuition.

0 Replies

@Roberta,

Roberta wrote:

I found the opposite to be the case. It was harder to get into the free schools, and the requirements for staying in were higher than they were when the university started charging tuition.

Basic microeconomics predicts as much. When you price something artificially low, demand will exceed supply. In the case of schools that's a good thing. It means seats will have to be rationed by something other than people's ability to pay. They will be awarded to the most qualified students, instead of the richest. Standards will go up.

1 Reply

@Kolyo,

That's one way of looking at it. Another way is that, as a person who lived in NYC at that time, the default college was the City University because it was free and you could live at home and commute. Even if you got a half-scholarship to go to a private college that you preferred, the cost difference is still huge. If City University starts charging even low tuition, that price difference from private colleges gets smaller. Especially from those private colleges which offer half-scholarships and financial aid packages. Consequently more students will elect to go to private colleges. The less the difference in tuition and costs, the less City University of New York or even the State University, (tuition $400), becomes the "default" choice for the high school graduate.

2 Replies

@Sturgis,

Quote Sturgis on NY State free tuition requirements:

Quote:

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)

That might be a little bit of a hitch, although being given a college degree with the stipulation it's tuition free as long as you live, (and presumably work), in New York State is a much better situation than not going to college and being able to move to any state.

What would be even better is if this law starts the ball rolling for other states to do the same thing, and then reciprocate with each other. For instance, suppose New Jersey passes the same sort of law. A certain number of college graduates in New York will find their best job prospect is in New Jersey, and a certain of new Jersey college grads will find their best job prospect is in New York. With a reciprocating agreement in place, New York grads will not be charged tuition for moving and working in New Jersey, and vice versa. So the talent pool for new college grads expands for both New York and New Jersey, and thus both states benefit.

With luck, more and more states will set up such reciprocal agreements with each other, until it becomes a national phenomenon.

0 Replies

@Blickers,

Quote:

...or even the State University, (tuition $400...

Not these days. The cost is $6,470. and that is prior to room and board and any student fees. https://www.suny.edu/smarttrack/tuition-and-fees/

CUNY tuition, while lower, is barely lower at the 4-year schools. It is though lower for the 2-year schools, so, a smart cookie would enrol there for 2 years, then transfer over to the 4 year school.
2 year colleges, full time=$4,800, 4 year colleges=$6,330. These of course don't include textbooks, which have in general been astronomically over priced.

CUNY: www2.cuny.edu/financial-aid/tuition-and-college-costs/tuition-fees
(Cannot get the link to line up for City, just Google CUNY tuition)

0 Replies

@Blickers,

Blickers wrote:

That's one way of looking at it. Another way is that, as a person who lived in NYC at that time, the default college was the City University because it was free and you could live at home and commute. Even if you got a half-scholarship to go to a private college that you preferred, the cost difference is still huge. If City University starts charging even low tuition, that price difference from private colleges gets smaller. Especially from those private colleges which offer half-scholarships and financial aid packages. Consequently more students will elect to go to private colleges. The less the difference in tuition and costs, the less City University of New York or even the State University,
(tuition $400), becomes the "default" choice for the high school graduate.

CUNY was not the default college. The private schools were. It was harder to get into the city university than into any of the private schools, except for Columbia (an ivy league school).

The valedictorian of my high school went to City College.

I told my parents that if I didn't get into one of CUNY's schools, I would go to NYU (New York University).

1 Reply

@Roberta,

Different city colleges had differing entrance requirements. When I graduated high school, Hunter was considered the toughest city 4 year to get into, City College was also high. However, those without the good marks could go to community colleges, where the requirements were lower, and then transfer.

Most of the people I knew who went to college at that time either went to the City system or the State system. That was my experience.

0 Replies

Free College Tuition in NY State

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know