Tuition Free College on Many Minds

The current economic climate is affecting more than just the monthly budgets of many Americans--it's also affecting their children's academic future. According to a Futuretrust Hopes & Dreams survey, 50% of parents surveyed reported that the rising costs of gas, food, and other budget-busting necessities has been the biggest obstacle toward saving for college. As parents worry that college debt will make life more difficult for their child after graduation, many are considering tuition-free colleges. Many tuition-free colleges are specialty schools which offer high-quality education to qualified students.

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is a privately-funded college in the East Village of New York City. Since the tuition-free college opened its doors in 1859, it has provided all students who attend with full-tuition scholarships. Founded by American industrialist, inventor, and entrepreneur Peter Cooper, the Union fulfills his vision of providing a high-quality education for talented students who could not otherwise afford college. According to Wikipedia, the 2008 value of a four-year education at Cooper Union is $120,000.

Full tuition scholarships are funded primarily by donations from the public and private sector, including many successful alumni. Cooper Union is considered one of the most prestigious schools in the U.S. Accordingly, the admission process is very selective--one of the toughest in the nation--admitting only 5-10% of applicants.

The U.S. government also offers a top-notch, tuition-free college education at five service academies for all branches of the military. To gain admittance, potential candidates must demonstrate high academic achievement and leadership potential; must meet all academic, physical, and medical requirements; and be nominated for admittance by a U.S. Representative. Admission is selective--for example, The United States Military Academy at West Point admits only 1200 out of 10,000 applicants each year--but cadets will receive a top quality, tuition-free college education.

According the an article on rnews.com, the Admissions Officer for West Point says that cadets are as academically challenged as students at some Ivy League universities, in addition to being mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged in preparation for their military career. In exchange for a tuition-free college education, a service commitment is expected: five years active duty plus an additional three years in the Reserves. The benefits of a tuition-free service academy education are immeasurable: graduates are commissioned as officers, which leads to higher pay, leadership positions, on-the-job training, hands-on experience, and a guaranteed income for at least five years.

Finding and gaining admittance to a tuition-free college will require some research and hard work, but it's an excellent preparation for the college experience itself, not to mention life after college.