In MA if you score high enough on the standardized tests for high school seniors, you get free tuition at Mass State colleges.
Do you get free room and board? Free lab fees? Free books?
Nope.
The scam here is that in most states, some form of this already exists. The other part is that tuition to community colleges is very, very low for people WITHOUT any assistance.
College at many schools can be picked up by joining the National Guard. Do that for a couple of years and you can transfer over to ROTC and your dates of service are better than your peers.
Back in the day (early 80’s) we had guys join the National Guard as freshmen in college, and they were commissioned in the guard mid way through their Junior year. It was hilarious watching the LTs walking down to their cars with their bars on, having all of the Senior Cadets having to salute them.
That probably doesn’t happen any more. But it was a great way to get a jump on your ROTC peers.
Yep. Of a total bill of about $6k (excluding room and board), the scholarship is worth $1k. Still, it's cheap, cheap, cheap, which is my family's sole criteria for selecting a college, by necessity.
“In MA if you score high enough on the standardized tests for high school seniors, you get free tuition at Mass State colleges.”
A lot of states seem to do that. I have no problem with grade-based stuff like that. I survived by getting scholarships to get an engineering degree. Earning help by having a high GPA is one thing, but giving just anyone money for nothing is a waste. At least those that have the higher GPAs are likely to graduate and get a job. Verses, grants where you get money just because you are poor. I knew a girl who got grants - and actually got an extra $1000 just for going to school. She never graduated, of course.
I think those getting help that are in the service or pre-service (ROTC) is good too - those are the ones more likely to use the education as well.