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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSix things to know about Obama’s plan for free community college
Six things to know about Obamas plan for free community collegeBy Lydia DePillis at the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/storyline/wp/2015/01/09/six-things-to-know-about-obamas-plan-for-free-community-college/
"SNIP.....................
1) Two-year degrees help you earn more.
Theres lots of evidence to show that associates degrees, which typically take two years to earn, boost a students wages over what he or she would have made with just a high school education. A 2011 review of the literature found that each additional year of school raises earnings between five percent and 10 percent per year. The results are especially good for women: A 2012 study of community college graduates in Kentucky showed that women with associates degrees made an extra $2,000 per quarter in the early 2000s, while men made an additional $1,500. Then there are various certificate programs, which dont show as dramatic results but tend to at least be worth the cost of attendance. Its not as much as the gains from a four-year college degree, but its also not as expensive.
2) Some two-year degrees make you earn more than others.
An associates degree in English literature probably wont get you very far. A degree in a fast-growing health-care or information technology specialty, by contrast, could earn you a lot: Radiation therapists and dental hygienists, the two top-earning two-year degrees ranked by EMSI, make $38 and $35 an hour, respectively. According to another EMSI analysis, the biggest gaps for projected demand and supply in middle-skilled fields are in marketing, sales, hospitality and tourism fields. The moral of the story: Even if tuition is free, if youre going to spend two years of your life going to school, think about what might get you a well-paying job on the other end.
3) Two free years could help more people actually graduate.
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Lots of people enter public community colleges every year. Only about 20 percent finish with a certificate or degree and getting a degree is much more useful than leaving with just a few credits. One reason is that a lot of people have to work while going to school, and according to the Aspen Institutes Wyner, working full time diminishes your chances of completion considerably. So if you can use the money the free tuition frees up to work fewer hours, that makes a huge difference for whatever program youre entering, he says. Perhaps for that reason, the Tennessee program on which the White Houses proposal is based requires students to go full time.
4) Two free years could help you afford the next two, three or four years.
If Obamas plan were enacted, it wouldnt be the only source of college aid for people who cant afford it. There are also Pell Grants but eligibility for Pell Grants only lasts for six years, and if youre doing a four-year degree working half time, youre not going to make it. So if you can use the free community college tuition to rack up some credits, that makes it a lot easier to finish a bachelors degree before that federal aid runs out.
.........................SNIP"
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Six things to know about Obama’s plan for free community college (Original Post)
applegrove
Jan 2015
OP
CrispyQ
(36,502 posts)1. Two of the four best programming instructors I've had taught at a community college.
I also took some math classes there to get over my 'fear of math.' I had to work hard, but I aced college algebra & that was the inspiration for me to study programming.
applegrove
(118,759 posts)2. People could take a few stem classes to see what stem skills they have,
then move on to more lucrative fields of study too.
Turbineguy
(37,364 posts)3. Too many benefits
they need to put in enough harmful things before republicans will agree to approve it.
Like in small print that by signing up you agree to pay (favorite corporate political contributor) $500,000 at 27% interest whether you graduate or not.
msongs
(67,435 posts)4. one or two fewer F-35s ought to cover all this cost nt
mopinko
(70,197 posts)5. that'd be a great bit o' pr- announce the program, pay go by canceling plane.
i like it.
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)6. I think number 4 is a good point for those looking for a bachelor's degree
Being able to get the first two years paid for certainly helps quite a bit. I went to a state college for 4 years and it ran about $1,100 a term back in the early 90's. Now I believe it's about three times that.
Tanuki
(14,920 posts)7. k &r---This is an important initiative.
Sad that this very positive development is being completely overshadowed by reporting on the shocking events in France.