Tennessee Governer proposes free college for all future high school graduates - Polidicks

[quote=The article]Governor Bill Haslam (R) has proposed that everyone graduating high school in that state should be eligible for a college education – for free. In what is being hailed at the US.’s first ever program to offer higher education to everyone, 2 year community colleges and tech schools will be free, and 4 year colleges will be available at greatly reduced rates. “The Tennessee Promise” is the name of the proposed program, and Governor Haslam says of it: “The Tennessee Promise is an ongoing commitment to every student from every kindergartner to every high school senior. We will promise that he or she can attend two years of community college or a college of applied technology absolutely free.” [/quote] Video and more information in the [url=http://aattp.org/watch-tennessee-governor-make-history-and-announce-free-college-for-every-graduating-high-school-student/]source[/url]

Now this is an investment for the future.

That is fucking awesome. I dont even want to know how much a university is going to cost here in California after I'm done with my last semester here in community college and transfer. Wonder how much the reduced rates are.

Might as well just make it mandatory, it's not like you can do anything without one anymore.

[QUOTE=Bazsil;43823889]Might as well just make it mandatory, it's not like you can do anything without one anymore.[/QUOTE] I moved to a small town in TN a few years ago and a lot of people work agricultural jobs that dont require higher education.

Meanwhile in socialist Sweden, we've had free education for ages. In fact, the government gives people money to study.

I wonder... will these students be required to graduate highschool in TN? Or is this a call to anyone anywhere in the country that they can attend college in TN for free?

[QUOTE=chipset;43824002]Meanwhile in socialist Sweden, we've had free education for ages. In fact, the government gives people money to study.[/QUOTE] Nobody cares, commie. [sp]Because socialism and communism are totally the same thing. Fox news said so[/sp]

I'm moving to Florida for college in July, and looking at a rate of about $4500 plus books and supplies per semester. Our education system is so flippin' borked. Each small step towards universal education is a step in the right direction. Why we're treating education like a privilege for the wealthy is completely beyond me, since a well-educated society is a more prosperous society as a whole. Expensive, privatized education is holding our future back in a big way.

every state needs to do this

I wasn't aware that the cost of 4-year schools would be greatly reduced. I wonder if this would happen before I graduate this spring. Edit: Only community college is free and the reduction from attending a university ONLY happens if you start from community college. At least, that's the idea I'm getting from reading the source. I could be incorrect. Either way, I'm apparently not poor enough to afford college, but I have no fucking clue where the fuck the money is going to come from. Fucking christ.

personally I have always thought if the state is running a large surplus they really need to be lowering taxes vs. redirecting surplus funds into new programs. The money for this program doesn't come from nowhere, people and businesses have to work and pay state income, property, and sales taxes in order to fund this, which is why "free" really should be in quotes.

Related and talks about this very subject [url]http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/132317538.html[/url] [editline]7th February 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=nintenman1;43824551]personally I have always thought if the state is running a large surplus they really need to be lowering taxes vs. redirecting surplus funds into new programs. The money for this program doesn't come from nowhere, people and businesses have to work and pay state income, property, and sales taxes in order to fund this, which is why "free" really should be in quotes.[/QUOTE] Government should [I]never[/I] have a surplus at the end of the year. They should have a 0 balance every year.

[QUOTE=nintenman1;43824551]personally I have always thought if the state is running a large surplus they really need to be lowering taxes vs. redirecting surplus funds into new programs. The money for this program doesn't come from nowhere, people and businesses have to work and pay state income, property, and sales taxes in order to fund this, which is why "free" really should be in quotes.[/QUOTE] Everyone benefits from these types of programs, so paying for them is good

Two years of community college should be something that is given to everyone. It'll secure them a job within the industry they choose, and it's overall great for the economy. [editline]7th February 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Fire Kracker;43824069]every state needs to do this[/QUOTE] Every state also needs a state organized bank like the Bank of North Dakota.

This had better go through. Would mean I could finally afford to go to NADC, and that would mean I'd have the ASE certs I need to prove my ability with a wrench to employers. And that would mean I could finally get a fucking job.

Didn't oregeon pretty much do the same thing with the Pay it forward bill? Its not gone into effect yet and so far it only applies to one school but they are testing a program in oregon sometime in 2015-2016 where college is totally free while you are there, but you have to contribute 4% of your income or so for the next 25 years towards the oregon pay it forward fund to help pay for it. Sure as hell beats loans and means if the job market is bad you don't have to worry about debt crushing you into bankruptcy.

[quote]Governor Bill Haslam (R) has proposed that everyone graduating high school [b]in that state[/b] should be eligible for a college education – for free.[/quote] Fuuuuuuck. [editline]7th February 2014[/editline] Great idea for people from Tennessee. Now other states need to adopt.

I'm literally praying that my competitive scholarships application gets accepted and I end up not having to pay anything for college

[QUOTE=elitehakor;43825674]I'm literally praying that my competitive scholarships application gets accepted and I end up not having to pay anything for college[/QUOTE] Can't you get the FAFSA? I've got it. Then there is the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant you can also get if you need the money and already receive the Pell Grant.

[QUOTE=purvisdavid1;43825732]Can't you get the FAFSA? I've got it. Then there is the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant you can also get if you need the money and already receive the Pell Grant.[/QUOTE] I got the letter from FAFSA a few days ago but Pell Grant will only pay for half the tuition Hopefully I get more from grants too. I don't want to take out loans

[QUOTE=elitehakor;43825889]I got the letter from FAFSA a few days ago but Pell Grant will only pay for half the tuition Hopefully I get more from grants too. I don't want to take out loans[/QUOTE] At least you're getting that. My parents apparently make too much, despite them not making enough to have saved anything for me or help me pay. I'm going to have to rely on loans.

[QUOTE=Big Dumb American;43824057]I'm moving to Florida for college in July, and looking at a rate of about $4500 plus books and supplies per semester. Our education system is so flippin' borked. Each small step towards universal education is a step in the right direction. Why we're treating education like a privilege for the wealthy is completely beyond me, since a well-educated society is a more prosperous society as a whole. Expensive, privatized education is holding our future back in a big way.[/QUOTE] 4500 for an entire year? Holy fuck that's pretty cheap...

[QUOTE=elitehakor;43825889]I got the letter from FAFSA a few days ago but Pell Grant will only pay for half the tuition Hopefully I get more from grants too. I don't want to take out loans[/QUOTE] Well if you get the Pell, you'll be priority for the FSEOG, but the only problem there is the amount dispersed to you is dependent on how much the college got to begin with, and how much they view your need for money. You could get as little as another $100, or you could get at most $4,000.

[QUOTE=elitehakor;43825889]I got the letter from FAFSA a few days ago but Pell Grant will only pay for half the tuition Hopefully I get more from grants too. I don't want to take out loans[/QUOTE] You're going to have to bite the bullet and probably take out some loans. I have $50,000 in debt to pay back over the four years of schooling.

Being from Europe I never understood what the big fuss about the education costs was, since it's mostly free there. However in Canada, it's like $40k a year for BCIT for something that's free in all of Europe. It's quite sad to see that 2 countries that have more than enough money to go around make people pay out of their asses for education and even health care. North-America is fucking pathetic when it comes to those 2. How do you people afford this shit? It's probably cheaper to immigrate to Europe, get educated there and then come back with a better education overall unless you're enrolling in one of the very high end schools which is most likely not the case cause it's all rich kiddies and people with 500 IQ who are sponsored.

[QUOTE=purvisdavid1;43826060]Well if you get the Pell, you'll be priority for the FSEOG, but the only problem there is the amount dispersed to you is dependent on how much the college got to begin with, and how much they view your need for money. You could get as little as another $100, or you could get at most $4,000.[/QUOTE] Any money is good money. I only have to pay for tuition + books since I'm living with my parents so that should come up to 5-6k per semester. If it's not enough then work-study is my absolute last resort, which I foresee being hell as an engineering student

This is why I like being in Tennessee.

I wish something like that existed in Oklahoma. I'm starting a graduate program this year and the first year will cost me a little over 20K, not counting room and board (university is about two hours away from home). Since I'm doing a graduate program, government won't pay for anything and just shoves loans at me.

That is pretty amazing, it would be awesome if something like that existed in Canada.