MIDDLETOWN – A state program to make county college tuition free for some qualifying students has expanded and now includes Brookdale Community College.
The Community College Opportunity Grant program began as a pilot in January, with 13 county colleges offering free tuition to students whose families’ gross income is less than $45,000.
Last week Gov. Phil Murphy announced the program would expand next year to include six more county institutes, including Brookdale.
“A cornerstone of Brookdale’s mission is to provide access to a high-quality education so Monmouth County residents can obtain their degrees and pursue careers,” Brookdale President David Stout said. “The CCOG Program, through financial aid for students and institutional planning grants, has made it possible for New Jersey’s community colleges to increase recruitment outreach and retention efforts while implementing innovative approaches that support student success.”
Stout added that the Community College Opportunity Grant program has already helped a multitude of students around the state earn degrees and credentials for gainful careers and professions.
Louis B. Moore, the Red Bank Regional High School superintendent, said the program’s expansion will help remove financial roadblocks for students located through-out the Two River-area community.
“Educators realize the importance of a K through 12 education, but we also know that in this day and age a student’s education has to continue,” Moore said. “We can’t allow cost to be a barrier. For students at Red Bank Regional and throughout the state, financial pressures can be daunting and can force a student to discontinue their pursuit of a degree. But this is a promising step in the right direction.”
According to Moore, approximately 90 percent of graduating Red Bank Regional students further their education in some capacity. Close to 30 percent of those students choose to attend classes at Brookdale. Increasing access for low income students could help grow those totals.
To be eligible for the program, students must be enrolled in at least six credits in the spring 2019 semester, and display satisfactory academic progress. Additionally, students have to complete applications for federal and state financial aid.
The Community College Opportunity Grant is known as a “last dollar” grant, meaning it pays for any gap between an eligible student’s remaining tuition and educational fees already covered by financial aid grants.
Students who are already enrolled in a two-year program at Brookdale will be processed for potential Community College Opportunity Grant eligibility over the next few weeks.
Students do not need to complete any additional application to be considered for eligibility.
“With this expansion, students in need at all 19 of our community colleges will have access to an education that is within financial reach and allows them to worry about their grades instead of how they will pay for school,” Gov. Murphy said in a media release. “We know that if our students can obtain a higher education, our communities become more prosperous, their employers become more competitive, and the state economy becomes more innovative and attractive to businesses. I look forward to providing this critical opportunity to students at all 19 community colleges for the upcoming fall and spring semesters.”
Though a progressive step forward, Moore said he hopes it’s not the last step, as the question remains: What about educational life after Brookdale?
Moore said he hopes legislators will explore expanding the reaches of the program to include tuition for state universities, further leveling the playing field.
The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority are jointly administering this funding opportunity. To learn more about the Community College Opportunity Grant, visit hesaa.org.
