MONTPELIER-Vermont high school juniors can now apply to earn a free, fast-tracked associate degree through the Free Degree Promise pathway at the Community College of Vermont (CCV).
The Free Degree Promise builds on the state's Early College Program to give students the chance to complete a free associate degree of their choosing just one year after high school graduation.
The state's Early College Program supports eligible high school seniors to take a full year of college courses tuition-free while completing their high school diploma. Students who successfully complete Early College at CCV can continue full-time enrollment to earn their associate degree through the Free Degree Promise before entering the workforce or transferring their credits to a bachelor's degree program.
The Free Degree Promise is available to current 10th-, 11th- and 12th-graders in Vermont. Since its launch in 2022, CCV has seen triple the number of low-income students accessing Early College and persisting toward associate degrees.
"The Free Degree Promise is making it possible for young Vermonters to earn fast-tracked, debt-free degrees that open doors to a lifetime of opportunity," said CCV President Joyce Judy in a news release. "While Vermont has New England's lowest rate of students continuing to college after high school at 40%, students who participate in Early College continue at 80%. CCV's goal is to make postsecondary education accessible for all Vermonters, and pathways like the Free Degree Promise do just that."
In its first three years, partners say, the Free Degree Promise is reaching more low-income, first-generation and students of color. Building on the success of state programs like Early College and 802 Opportunity, the Promise also offers enhanced advising and stipends for expenses like transportation and textbooks.
"It's a bright spot. When young people have accelerated pathways to debt-free degrees of their choosing, it's a gamechanger," said Carolyn Weir, executive director of the J. Warren and Lois McClure Foundation, the funder of the Promise. "This pathway could be a great option for students looking to explore their interests in order to graduate with a plan, students ready to get a head start on college, and self-motivated students who are ready for a change."
Visit ccv.edu/freedegree to learn more and apply. Students and families are also invited to register to attend an upcoming information session.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.