Today: Mar 28, 2024

PACT and all CSCU

Jessica Guerrucci – Managing Editor

Everyone dreams of it, and yet now that it has happened to some degree, I still find myself thinking it is too good to be true. Free college is here — still, it is not for everyone.

Connecticut’s Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program is going to offer free community college to students who meet the criteria starting in fall 2020.

According to the CSCU PACT website, the requirements are to be a high school graduate, be attending college for the first time, fill out FASFA and accept all awards, attend community college full time, and when there, remain in good academic standing.

With the recent approval on Jan. 29 of a 3.8 percent tuition increase for state colleges, including Southern, it sure makes me wish my college was free, especially as the issue of college debt lingers in the back of everyone’s minds.

If I could go back three years ago to when I was choosing colleges, and if the PACT program existed, I’m not sure Southern would be my first choice.

As stated in the article, the program will cost about $7 million to $15 million annually as reported by CSCU President Mark Ojakian. The PACT program itself is a wonderful opportunity and is a good first step in making college affordable and accessible to everyone.

I look forward to seeing what efforts will be made to make college an equal opportunity for all and to reduce student debt.

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