Thousands of applicants have signed up for a new program that helps Oregonians get a free community college education. The deadline to apply for Oregon Promise grants is March 1st.
The state legislature created the Oregon Promise program last session. It provides grants for high school graduates who want to attend community college soon after graduation.
Bob Brew is Director of Student Access and Completion for the state. He says more than 18 thousand students have begun the application process. The idea is to make community college more accessible.
Brew: “I think that there will be some students that maybe had considered a 4 year university and have decided to start out at community college, I don’t think that’s a big number, but there definitely will be some. And I am really hopeful that there’s a lot of students that really hadn’t thought that college was possible for them and have applied.”
To apply for an Oregon Promise grant, students must fill out a Federal Application for Student Aid or FAFSA.