It can be free if you use Connecticut’s Pledge to Advance Connecticut to fund the first two years of your child’s college education at one of Connecticut’s 12 community colleges.
Most parents we meet at the college funding strategy workshops we conduct around the state are not financially prepared for funding their child’s college education, especially if they have more than one child. Getting two years of college level courses for free could definitely help bridge the gap.
Here’s how you qualify:
- You have to be a Connecticut resident.
- Your child graduated from a public or private Connecticut high school or have obtained a GED. Homeschool counts!
- Your child is a first-time college student. Dual enrollment programs while in high school won’t disqualify them.
- Your child is enrolled in a degree or credit bearing certificate program at one of those 12 community colleges. It’s doesn’t have to be full-time anymore. As long as your child is taking six credits minimum a semester.
- You and your student complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) form. Your student accepts all awarded financial aid from other sources, with the exception of federal student loans which are optional.
- Once enrolled in the program, your student maintains academic progress by maintaining a point average of 2.0 and completing at least two-thirds of their courses.
It’s important to note that this program doesn’t disqualify anybody based on income or asset level, so if you meet the requirements above, literally anyone can qualify for free community college!
This program has been in place since 2020 and has significantly increased enrollment in Connecticut community colleges.
What are other benefits for taking the community college track? If, after completing their associates degree at community college, your child transfers to any other state university or nine private universities here in Connecticut, all the credits will be transferred without question. Also, there’s no application fee if you apply to that same group of schools.
We understand that attending community college doesn’t have the same “bragging rights” as attending a more “prestigious” college. But if your child transfers from a community college to one of those “prestigious” colleges after two years and obtains their undergrad degree from that school, it’s the same degree that a child who spent all four years there received. And chances are good you will have saved over $100,000 in the process! Per child!
Click this link for more information about the PACT program.
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