In the News | Lawmakers push to bring the lottery online and use money for community college funding
(WFSB, February 9, 2021) – The lottery brought in $330 million last year from people all looking to strike rich. Now, there’s a push to make it even easier to get your tickets, by bringing the lottery online.
If this is passed, community college students could continue to get a chance at a free ride. The program is called PACT and it started last year. The funding comes from a grant and when that money runs out, lawmakers would like to pull it from the online lottery.“Once I heard it was going through, it was like a miracle,” said Lilia Burdo, Three Rivers Community College. Lilia Burdo is one of the first participants of Connecticut’s PACT program. It provides debt-free community college to first-time college students. Burdo, a freshman at Three Rivers Community College, wants to be a high school English teacher.
“I also set a goal to graduate with as little debt as possible and PACT has allowed me to do that, and I know that some of my friends also have PACT, so it allows us to work and save money toward education after Three Rivers,” Burdo said. PACT started in the fall 2020 semester and more than 2,000 students are reaping the benefits.
“This is sort of the wave of the future,” Osten said. Connecticut’s lottery already brings in hundreds of millions of dollars each year and the money goes to the general fund.
PACT, which costs $6 million a year to fund, would only need a fraction of that. “The only part that would go for debt-free college is the money that’s necessary to go toward debt-free college,” Osten said. Osten says everything else would continue to go toward the general fund. “It sounds like it’s not too much of a financial burden and if it’s giving thousands of kids and adults education that they need to pursue a good paying job, I think it’s definitely worth it,” Burdo said. The bill will be discussed later this month, but Osten says it has bipartisan support and was set to pass last year, but the pandemic got in the way.
This will not include sports wagering because it’s going to be tougher to pass, so Osten says it’s not tied to PACT.
Free Tuition
[mk_page_section bg_image=”https://threerivers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1719-685-banner-1500-x-504.jpg” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” bg_stretch=”true” full_width=”true” padding_top=”0″ padding_bottom=”0″ sidebar=”sidebar-1″][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1469639571895{padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_empty_space height=”450px”][mk_fancy_title strip_tags=”true” tag_name=”h1″ color=”#ffffff” size=”80″ font_weight=”bold” txt_transform=”uppercase” margin_bottom=”0″ font_family=”Oswald” font_type=”google” el_class=”page-title”]Free Tuition!
[/mk_fancy_title][vc_empty_space height=”100px” el_class=”page-titlebg” css=”.vc_custom_1469639726224{background-color: rgba(203,29,92,0.8) !important;*background-color: rgb(77,49,142) !important;}”][/vc_column][/mk_page_section][vc_row fullwidth=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1469635777230{padding-left: 20px !important;}”][vc_column][ultimate_spacer height=”10″][ultimate_spacer height=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row fullwidth=”true” equal_columns=”true”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1654528882186{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Free Community College!
If you are starting college this fall as a first-time college student …
then you might be eligible for free tuition through PACT. To qualify for the program, you must apply, register for 6 credits or more, and fill out the FAFSA.
Or, if you are returning and received PACT last year …
then you continue to be eligible for free tuition through PACT. However, you must register for classes and fill out the FAFSA by as soon as possible for the fall semester and by November 15 for the spring semester.
PACT is the Pledge to Advance Connecticut. It will allow eligible Connecticut residents to earn a degree or certificate from a community college without taking on debt. PACT provides financial support for first-time students who meet the qualifications. The program covers tuition and fees for full time students for 36 months or a maximum of 72 credits earned within that time, and for part time students for 48 months or a maximum of 72 credits earned within that time.
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1581095731856{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Qualifications
There is a diverse community of students at TRCC and not everyone will qualify for PACT. If you do not qualify for PACT there are still multiple forms of assistance that students can receive such as financial aid and scholarships as well as support from the Three Rivers College Foundation.[/vc_column_text][vc_tta_accordion][vc_tta_section title=”Who Qualifies?” tab_id=”1579883893884-15a5e738-dc1e”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1652886761832{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]
To have your tuition and fees covered by the PACT program you must meet the following requirements:
- Live in the State of Connecticut
- Be a Connecticut high school, GED program, or home school program graduate
- Attend college for the first time (transfer & re-admission students do not qualify) OR be a returning student who received PACT last year
- Fill out FAFSA and accept all available financial aid each year. This financial aid package is available on a first-come/first-serve basis until funds run out. There is no separate application for PACT. The financial aid office will automatically determine a student’s eligibility and award based on the program criteria.
- Apply to Three Rivers Community College or another Connecticut Community College if you are a new student
- Register in a credit degree or certificate program
- Enroll in at least 6 credits
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress to keep PACT funding
At this time, PACT does not cover the following:
- Students currently enrolled in a Connecticut Community College or other higher education institution who did not receive PACT last year
- Students that have previously earned a college degree
All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid and scholarships as well as scholarships through the TRC Foundation.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”High School Students” tab_id=”1581085733835-e7a09205-518f”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1652886900897{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]High school graduates who will be first-time college students must enroll and register in the Fall 2022 semester. If you have earned college credit in high school through a dual enrollment program you still qualify for PACT.
PACT is not need-based, but it is required that all students apply for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) for every year that you attend TRCC, and you must meet satisfactory academic progress to remain eligible.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Students with Disabilities” tab_id=”1581085735454-31498b70-6a02″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1581456567708{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]If you are disclosing a disability through TRCC Disability Services/Accommodations, you can qualify for PACT.You must work with the disability coordinator and your academic advisor to determine the maximum number of credit hours feasible. [/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Veterans” tab_id=”1581085736903-86709ebe-8668″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1581456603662{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Veterans can receive PACT funding and must adhere to enrollment and registration deadlines and student status information.
Documented military deployment may be considered (must re-enroll within four years of discharge).[/vc_column_text][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][ultimate_spacer height=”20″]
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