ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Earlier this year, Governor Gretchen Whitmer introduced a plan for Michigan high school graduates to receive two years of tuition-free education at their community college. Beginning this fall, students who qualify for the Michigan Community College Guarantee can start that education at Bay College.
“There’s a few requirements,” said Bay College Admissions Director Jessica Beaver. “You have to be a high school graduate of 2023 or beyond. You need to be in good financial standing with federal loans.”
For graduates in Delta County, that could mean free college.
“How community colleges work is residents of your county that you’re in pay a portion of their taxes to the institution,” Beaver explained. “Because of that, you receive the in-county tuition rate. That is what this Community College Guarantee is covering. They will cover your full tuition cost and associated fees.”
Depending on the degree or certification an in-county student pursues, Beaver says that can add up to major savings.
“Your first semester of classes, if you were to take general studies—which a lot of students do—that is a little under $4,000 without any financial aid,” she said. “If you pick nursing or you pick automotive or if you’re coming here to transfer out, your tuition rate’s going to look a little different. In general, you are saving $14,000, $15,000, $17,000 if you choose to come to your local community college.”
While the out-of-county tuition rate is a bit higher, including in Dickinson County where the Iron Mountain campus is located, students can still qualify for significant discounts.
“If you receive any Pell Grants through the FAFSA form, it is last-dollar, so you’re going to get awarded whatever the federal government says you’re eligible for first,” said Beaver. “Then, they’ll apply the Community College Guarantee onto it.”
Beaver says Bay College is hopeful that the Community College Guarantee will draw more students to enroll, which in turn could lead to expanded programming and a stronger community.
“It’s going to save families tens of thousands of dollars that now can be spent in the community,” she said. “They also could save that so that the student could go and transfer to that institution that maybe they wouldn’t have been able to afford before. I think, too, it’s going to make people more employable, and now that burden of affordability is off the table. Imagine if everyone in Delta County had an associate’s degree. For us, it’s pretty great, but it’s even better for our community.”
To learn more about getting an education at Bay College through the Michigan Community College Guarantee, visit baycollege.edu/admissions.
