Tuition free program launched at Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College has introduced the Macomb Tuition Advantage program which will allow students who have a family income of $70,000 or less to pursue an associate degree tuition free.
The Macomb Tuition Advantage has been introduced at Macomb Community College with the goal of removing financial barriers to earning a degree. The program will provide free tuition to Macomb students whose family incomes total $70,000 or less. The program will benefit both students already attending Macomb Community College and those who are planning to join the school in the coming Fall semester as long as they are pursuing an associate degree program.
In an article on Macomb’s website, the president of Macomb Community College, James O. Sawyer IV, talked about the program, saying, “Earning a college credential remains a key factor in sustainable employment and earnings. Macomb Community College is committed to ensuring the transformative power of education is within the financial reach of all – regardless of year of high school graduation, previous attempts at attending college or current residency.”
Currently, the median household income in Macomb County is under the $70,000 threshold set for the program. Macomb Community College’s tuition rate is also currently one of the lowest in Michigan when it comes to community colleges, the institution acknowledges the barrier that tuition costs can still pose to students. Almost 42% of MCC’s current students are receiving some kind of financial aid, and less than a third receive Pell Grants, which are federal aid awards to students with the most financial need. Around half of the students at Macomb Community College, which enrolls some 15,000 students, would have been able to meet the financial requirements of the Macomb Tuition Advantage program.
As stated above, to be eligible for the Macomb Tuition Advantage program, a student’s annual family income has to be $70,000 or less, and have assets of $50,000 or less, the student must also be a registered student at Macomb, and have filled out the FAFSA form. Other state and federal grants a student is eligible for will be applied first, and the Macomb Tuition Advantage program will cover the rest of the owed fees and tuition. Students taking part in the program also have to be enrolled at full time status, which means taking at least 12 credit hours in a semester, with at least a 2.0 grade point average. The program can be renewed for up to three academic years.
As of now, almost 9,000 students have achieved an associate degree from Macomb Community College through the Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs. The State of Michigan has also implemented a new program for 2023 high school graduates called the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which will provide up to $2,750 each year for students who enroll in a community college starting in the upcoming Fall 2023 semester.
Sawyer spoke about the inspiration these programs had on the Macomb Tuition Advantage program, saying, “We have seen programs that take tuition and fees out of the equation for prospective students, such as Michigan Reconnect, are a real game-changer for many members of our community. Macomb Tuition Advantage is building on this proven approach and taking it a step further by broadening access to critical financial support to those who need it. The program supports the college’s commitment to fostering student success and degree completion, providing the financial means so students can focus on steady progress through their program, and encourages a college-going culture to support the long-term vitality and prosperity of our community.”
The Macomb Tuition Advantage also supports the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Sixty by 30 initiative, which is working to raise the number of working age adults who have a skill certificate or college degree from 50.5% to 60% by 2030. The secondary goals of the Sixty by 30 program are to increase access and opportunity to education and skills that help lead to family sustaining wages and jobs, make the state more competitive for inclusive economic growth, and close the skills gap to sustain and grow industry and businesses.
More information about the Macomb Tuition Advantage can be found at Macomb Community College’s website.