Spencer Koenig considered going to a four-year college.
But with the concern over price and student debt, Koenig, of New Windsor, found himself instead attending Carroll Community College, a choice with which he couldn't be happier.
With Carroll, he said, he's been able to get a great education at a far cheaper price than that of a four-year school. Koenig is a freshman accounting major at Carroll.
"I think people need to get over the stigma of community college," he said.
Gov. Larry Hogan is expected to sign a bill this week that many hope will encourage students to consider community colleges as a stepping stone to four-year degrees or a way for certification before heading into the workforce. The bill the Republican governor is set to sign will offer the chance for free community college education to many students in Maryland.
This legislation, which passed in the last few minutes of this year's General Assembly session, would require the state to spend $15 million each year on scholarships for as much as $5,000, which would go to low- and middle-income students who are just starting their education in community college. It would also bring about $2 million over five years for grants to help pay for the tuition of older students who are close to finishing degrees.
To be eligible, students would need to enroll within two years of finishing high school or a GED, hold a high school GPA of at least 2.3 out of 4.0 and take at least 12 credit-hours worth of courses. Students who are single or live in single-parent families would not be allowed to have a household income of more than $100,000 a year, while students who are married or live in two-parent households would not be allowed to have a family income of more than $150,000.
Koenig said he thinks this bill is "pretty cool."
Anna Matteson, of New Windsor, also said she liked the bill.
"I think it's a good idea," she said.
Matteson, a freshmen, said she's looking to transfer to a four-year college after finishing at Carroll, but said starting at Carroll helped her financially. A lot of kids start in community colleges because of money, she said, and having that ability to save money those first two years is really helpful.
The college's vice president of administration, Alan Schuman, said this kind of concept has been discussed for many years and exists elsewhere, so it's exciting to see it come to Maryland.
"It's going to give more students an opportunity to come here debt-free or at least lower debt, so that'll be the biggest plus," he said, adding that it'll hopefully allow students who can't afford community college the chance to go. "It just improves access overall. That's the purpose of the bill and we're appreciative of that."
Carroll Community College President James Ball said he thinks this bill will help with enrollment, and while the college doesn't have a lot of information on how these scholarships will work yet, they're hopeful it will help bring in more students.
"It has been an issue," Ball said, of the college's declining enrollment.
In recent years, Carroll has worked to keep tuition increases low to help bring in more students. This past year, the college's board of trustees approved a $2 per credit hour, or 1.5 percent, increase in tuition for next year.
"For us, it's a hopeful step forward as well as a harbinger of the world of work as it sits now," Ball said.
Baltimore Sun reporter Scott Dance contributed to this article.
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