A bill under review in the House of Representatives would allow recent high school graduates, no more than two years post-graduation, the opportunity to attend Maryland community colleges for free.
If passed in both the House and Senate, the Maryland Education Act of 2014 is designed to give high school graduates greater access to higher education. Students would have to pursue an Associate’s Degree and apply for federal and state aid but all remaining fees: tuition, lab fees, registrations would be covered under the bill.
If enacted, the community colleges would receive funds from the Education Trust Fund, the money being made from the recent gambling establishments put in Maryland set aside for state educational use.
Delegate Nathan Haynes, democrat and Baltimore City representative, is the primary supporter of the bill and believes strongly in increased access to higher education for young Americans.
“More and more education is needed to take an active role in shaping the world around us but not all of us are fortunate enough to receive that education,” he said. “This bill makes a great attempt at shortening the gap.”
Haynes became a member of the House in 2003. He said the bill will allow for a more thoughtful and intelligent young generation and would only help the “up-and-coming leaders before it is their turn to lead.”
Although the bill has not gone into effect, the impact it could have on Maryland’s higher education institutions is already being discussed. Currently, the bill is still in committee in the House of Representatives.
Melissa F. Gregory, Chief Enrollment Services and Financial Aid officer for Montgomery College said that the bill, in the long term, would have a significant effect on enrollment and admissions.
“This bill would allow for even more students to come to our school and other Maryland community colleges. It might also have an effect on how many high school seniors decide to go straight to a four-year institution for a bachelor’s.”
Montgomery College long been viewed as one of the best community colleges in the state, already has a Scholars Program that allows applicants “free” admission for two years but it is highly competitive. The Education Act of 2014 could open the floodgates for community college admissions Gregory said.
Four-year institutions like Hood College could suffer under this new bill, according to preliminary research done by Gregory and her office. Maryland students make up a significant population of the school and if Maryland students decide that it would be more cost effective to transfer in as juniors, a tuition-driven institution like Hood College could be adversely affected.
Student interest in the bill is minimal as it has not caught much attention outside of its supporters in the House and those paid to be ‘in the know’ but when asked, students had a lot to say about it.
“It definitely would have been another option,” Cherry Pham, junior said. “I wouldn’t have had to pay so much to be here three years and could still get my degree in time.”
Pham, originally from Silver Spring, Md., is in her third year as a psychology major.
Senior Matthew Stevens said: “As someone who transferred from a community college to come here, it was not that big of an adjustment. It wouldn’t surprise me if students, given the option, would take the free two years and work through core classes if nothing else, before choosing to continue on to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Stevens originally came to Hood as a computer science major but switched to economics in his junior year.
The bill is still being addressed in the House of Representatives. If approved, it will make its way to the Senate and then await a final signature.