If community college is free

[B2G]

Does this mean that needy kids won't be receiving Pell grants to 4 year colleges until they transfer in as juniors?

I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing, just haven't heard it addressed. It seems to me that this would mean that only wealthy kids would attend these universities for 4 years.

Also curious how we would meet demand for community colleges given the current number available.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Why would it mean that? Where are you getting that information?

nt

[B2G]

2. I don't know that, I'm asking

But doesn't it stand to reason that if the first 2 years of college are free...years that primarily involve taking core curriculum courses, that the government wouldn't fund those first 2 years at a 4 year school?

Again, I am asking, not making a statement here.

[madville]

3. Congress would have pass this right?

I'm sure they'll be right on it since Obama proposed it.

[B2G]

4. Well I hope they do

Was just curious if anyone had read any more details about the proposal.

[aikoaiko]

5. They could defer.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

6. pell grants dont force you into certain colleges

so i would guess no. if i am qualified to be at NYU, why would i go to queens community college

[Warren Stupidity]

7. if i am qualified to be at NYU, why would i go to queens community college?

NYU tuition: US$ 46,460.00
QCC tuition: US$ 0.00

Maximum Pell grant: $5,730.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. i used that specific example because i went to NYU.

Between the the subsidized loans and a large scholarship it ended up being $10,000 a year. i would still pick that over QCC where i would be VASTLY over qualified.

i am all for community college being free, but excellent HS students are unlikely to pick that option. it's more likely to help those who were mediocre HS students and need some additional help before a 4 year college, or people coming back to college after years.

regardless, my point is, i dont think it will be related to the pell grant

[Warren Stupidity]

11. The amount of "subsidized loan" one would need for QCC starts out 46,000 less than NYU.

Yes sure the upper tier private schools like NYU can be generous with scholarships, but they aren't generally 46,000/yr generous. The point is to stop forcing kids into huge loans, subsidized or not. QCC is actually a pretty good school, and a kid who could get into NYU might consider doing two years at QCC first, at $0.00 tuition per year, and then transferring to a school like NYU to complete a degree. It gives people options they didn't have.

And yes the pathetic pell grant, which in the 70's covered your tuition, is indeed not much of a factor.

[B2G]

8. Because you can't afford NYU?

There are limits to this.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

10. i used that specific example because i went to NYU.

Between the the subsidized loans and a large scholarship it ended up being $10,000 a year. i would still pick that over QCC where i would be VASTLY over qualified.

i am all for community college being free, but excellent HS students are unlikely to pick that option. it's more likely to help those who were mediocre HS students and need some additional help before a 4 year college, or people coming back to college after years.

regardless, my point is, i dont think it will be related to the pell grant

(sorry for the double post)

[tabbycat31]

17. Assuming NYU takes transfer students

(I know a lot of top tier schools do not) you could save $$ and do your first two years at QCC and finish up at NYU. Your resume would still say you have a degree from NYU.

[Cleita]

12. Hopefully not. It can be an avenue to a four year college though for needy

students without going into a lot of debt from the beginning. Personally I'm for free college through graduate school like we used to have in California once upon a time.

[Vattel]

13. Needy students who are highly qualified should go to 4 year colleges.

They will get plenty of financial aid and it is almost always much better to do all four years at a good university.

[B2G]

14. Why?

You're basically taking core clases the first 2 years.

[Vattel]

15. Not really. You start taking required courses for your major as well.

And you are way more likely to get experts in the relevant field teaching your courses, and your peers will be way smarter, and you will have four years of the awesome social experience that university life offers.

[uppityperson]

16. You can get a PELL Grant unless you have a bachelor's degree, an associate degree

doesn't count.