Would you rather buy a Tesla Cybertruck or head to college? 🤔 It all depends on what look you’re going for. The only place you’ll be heading to in that funny ride is Clown Town (but yes, they have a college there). 🤡🎪
Both Republicans and Democrats are in favor of reducing college costs in PA, but they’re divided on how to do it. Let’s look at the latest right meow. 👇
Here’s Five Fast Facts on the proposed plans to make college cheaper in PA:
- 🧢 No Cap, All Rizz - Shapiro’s plan aims to combine PA’s 10 publicly owned schools with its 15 community colleges under a single system. Then, he’s calling for a 15% increase in funding for the newly merged group. Once everything’s in place, the plan is to cap tuition at $1,000 per semester for median-income families. The maximum grant per student provided by the PA Higher Education Assistance Agency would also go up by $1,000.
- 🪄 Wishes Granted - On the other end, Republicans are proposing new state-sponsored scholarships instead. In the first plan, PA in-state students could get up to $5,000 in grants per academic year to use any state college or university. In the second plan, out-of-state students with a 2.5 GPA or higher would get a discount at state schools, anywhere between $2,000 and $4,000 a year.
- 👀 The Fine Print - However, in both GOP proposed programs, students would have to select an approved major that leads to an in-demand occupation. They’d also have to get a job within a year of graduation and keep it for 15 months per year they received the scholarship. Otherwise, the grant turns into a loan that must be repaid.
- 🐴 Goodbye Horses - Former PA Gov. Wolf proposed a program similar to the GOP plans in his second term, but was unsuccessful. His plan included using a state fund that collects casino taxes on horse racing payouts. Yeehaw!
- 🥀 You Look Dehydrated - Currently, PA ranks 49 out of 50 when it comes to direct state funding for higher education. Funding began to dip in the early 2000s as enrollment went up. Money then dried up as a result of budget cuts during the Great Recession, along with federal aid.
🔥Bottom line: PA’s public colleges have a hefty price tag. They’re actually some of the most expensive in the country. According to one estimate, the state has the fifth most expensive public college system in the whole U S of A. Let’s hope a fair plan to cut costs gets passed so the best and brightest can get their learning on for less.
Which plan do you like better?
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