students go to college for free in Kalamazoo, MI

[yesdachi]

All kinds of craziness in Michigan, 18 yr old Mayors and now free tuition. There are a lot of rich people in West Michigan and they usually donate to museums, medical research facilities and colleges but I think this is even better. Any thoughts?

Link to the story.

And here are some snipits.

Every student in the Kalamazoo Public School District is entitled to a scholarship to any public university or community college in Michigan, starting with the class of 2006.

A group of anonymous donors is underwriting the program.

To receive any assistance, a student must live the city of Kalamazoo and would have had to attend since at least ninth grade. Sixty-five percent of that student's tuition would be paid.

The scale goes up from there, with eighth graders receiving 70 percent of their tuition paid, 75 percent for seventh graders, 80 percent for sixth, 85 percent for fifth, 90 percent for fourth, and 95 for first through third graders. Students attending schools in the district from kindergarten through high school graduation will have 100 percent of their tuition and fees paid.

24 Hour News 8 dug up some information on the students at in the district. There are more than 10,000 students in the district right now. According to the 2000 census, 84 percent of the students graduate, 32 percent go on to receive college degrees, and the drop out rate is nearly 11 percent.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Are the public uni's any good over there?

Free county colleges aren't a huge thing... If you get good grades in them, NJ county college is free (I think).

[yesdachi]

Are the public uni's any good over there?

Free county colleges aren't a huge thing... If you get good grades in them, NJ county college is free (I think).

Here are some stats…

According to the U.S. News & World Report on the best public national universities
University of Michigan was ranked/tied for 3rd place
Michigan State University tied for 30th place
Western Michigan University didn’t make the list because they are too small but still a good Uni and located right in Kalamazoo.
Plenty of others that IMO are average good. No one wants to move here for the weather so our schools have to be decent to attract students.

[Hurin_Rules]

Western Michigan U. has a great Medieval Studies department and hosts the largest annual gathering of medievalists in the world.

The Institute:

http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/

The conference:

http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/congress/

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

Maybe I should move. Rutgers University (best public in NJ) is only #21.

Nah. Still pretty good.

But it sound like a very good deal for you in the Kalamazoo Public School District. Lucky so-and-so's.

[Kanamori]

Overall ratings don't tell enough. The program/college you are going into is the big thing, as well as research for grad schools.