The Michigan Reconnect program is intended to assist adults who want to attend community college but can't afford the tuition. | stock photo
The Michigan Reconnect program is intended to assist adults who want to attend community college but can't afford the tuition. | stock photo
After learning that any Michigan resident over the age of 25 will now be able to go to college for free at any of the state’s community colleges, some potential students are finding frustration in the small print.
The key sticking point is that the Michigan Reconnect program will not actually cover any community college tuition in the state, according to Bridge Michigan. Rather, it will cover "in-district tuition" at any community college in the state.
Across the state, a total of 33 community college districts support local community colleges through property taxes paid by those living within the district. The colleges then offer two different tuition rates, and the rate for students living within the district that may be as much as half of what is charged to those from outside the district.
Out of Michigan’s 83 counties, 50 have no community college district, according to Bridge Michigan. That means approximately 20% of Michiganders have to pay out-of-district tuition if they want to go to a community college.
To be eligible for the Michigan Reconnect program, applicants must be 25 or older, have lived in the state for at least a year, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and not have completed any previous associate’s or bachelor’s degree, according to Michigan.gov. For those who meet the requirements, the program will cover in-district tuition, mandatory fees and contact hours, according to the Michigan Reconnect website.
While someone from outside the district where they want to attend college could still get the equivalent of the in-district portion of their tuition covered, they would have to make up the difference in cost on their own, and that can be prohibitive for many low-income people.
Alyssa Merton, a coordinator of the Local College Access Network in Oceana County, said the situation is frustrating for people who live in an area without a community college district, which also typically would have high poverty rates and low education attainment, according to Bridge Michigan. Merton said she has already had difficult conversations with potential students who had heard that the state would now cover tuition, without being aware of the fine print.
Alerts Sign-up