Free college!

@dragon54u (31636)
United States
December 1, 2009 9:19pm CST
I heard about College of the Ozarks this past weekend. Students' tuition is paid by working 15 hours per week at one of the college's many industries--pig farm, bakery, pottery, etc. The college is independent financially because of these industries and full time students work off their tuition. I won't give a link for fear of the discussion being eliminated but it's easy to find with Google. If you want to go to college or have a child who wants to go, look into this. The interview included a student that was graduating with a marketing degree and her work experience with the college was impressive to the prospective employers. I just wanted to put this info out to anyone who can't afford to pay for college but whose child wants to better themselves.
4 people like this
9 responses
SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I think I have also heard about this, but not much at all. It's interesting that they have this now, and it's nice that someone had thought of this. It's like bartering or trading goods for services. Your or a relative gets the "goods"(knowledge) and then pays them with "services"(working off the tuition)... Then again do they technically have a tuition since they are working for their education? Atleast they won't have to worry about student loans.
3 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Dec 09
They are working off their tuition. It's a great barter system, from what I heard. I would imagine you'd have to pay for books and room and board but 15 hours of work and 15 hours of classes still leaves plenty of time for a part time job to pay for that stuff. And there are also scholarships and government grants. Their mission is for kids to graduate debt free.
3 people like this
SomeCowgirl
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
2 Dec 09
That is great, yea I didn't think about the cost of books... Which I am sure they'd have to pay for... but it's good that they are trying to do something about getting people an education without getting them into debt too.
2 people like this
zed_k4
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
2 Dec 09
Really a nice perk. That's just awesome and great for everyone whom could benefit from this.. . I really think college should be free too, in that sense..
2 people like this
zed_k4
@zed_k4 (17589)
• Singapore
7 Dec 09
That's why.. precisely why there should be more. Perhaps the budget will be too taxing for the sponsors? Who knows.
1 person likes this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Dec 09
Yes, "in that sense" I agree. I don't think anyone should get anything for free and working through college just 15 hours a week will make the students appreciate their education as well as being able to graduate debt free. It's a great idea, I don't know why there aren't more like them!
2 people like this
Sir_bobby88
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
2 Dec 09
This is really nice , how i wish there are such thing as free in my country yea .
2 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I think that most colleges could do this if students were willing to work and colleges were willing to be less political and give up some political influence.
1 person likes this
schulzie
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
2 Dec 09
Wow! That is a great idea! I would have never thought of such a thing! I think that is great. Too bad it is located in the Ozarks though. I live in South Florida and we have no desire to move away from here again. (I can't stand cold weather and snow, ice, etc. any more). I hope that more colleges will take on this new way of funding an education. That just sounds like a win-win situation for everyone! Thanks for letting us know about this. I would have never known about except for reading it here on myLot. Thanks again! Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!
2 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I'm glad I could teach you something new! You might know others who could benefit from it, who knows? This is a great model for colleges. They can afford to pay their staff well with the money they make from the students' labor so it's a superior education. You're right, more colleges should do this!
1 person likes this
animegirl334
@animegirl334 (3263)
• United States
5 Dec 09
That sounds like a very good deal. At the college I attend, students who find a job on or off campus still find it hard to pay the tuition fee. I don't think that college is near the area where I live but I'm sure a lot of other people would benefit from it.
2 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Dec 09
I hope someone benefits from the information. If I were of college age, I'd move there just so I could take advantage of it. I wish all colleges would adopt this business model, if they would then perhaps more young people could afford to get a college education.
1 person likes this
leateagee
@leateagee (3667)
• China
6 Dec 09
Well I'm from a different country and reading about this info is great. If it really happens in your place well you have good citizens that help each other. Having free education because you worked for it doesn't mean you can't afford but proving to your self that at a young age you know what you want in life and you know how to get it. Parents support are just back-ups if something goes wrong. I worked my tuition to college too but with private organizations. Amazing how these sectors in the community can save a child from suffering poverty. Keep up the good work and more power to College of the Ozarks.
2 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Dec 09
This is the only college here that does that, to my knowledge. It is a good model for other colleges--it makes a profit and serves its students and faculty. Congratulations for making it through college yourself! It is hard when you have to work as well as study.
1 person likes this
Patsie Hatley
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
2 Dec 09
hi dragon54u this should really help a lot of mylotters who have kids looking for help in tuition and college and for the parents as well who cannot afford to help their kids. good discussion and should be attractive to a lot of people here.
2 people like this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
2 Dec 09
I hope someone can take advantage of it, it's such a great concept with which to run a college. I don't know why there aren't more of these. Of course, it is faith-based so it might not appeal to some people.
1 person likes this
saundyl
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
10 Dec 09
I've heard of that college before - always thought it was a neat idea. Especially seeing as their students graduate with an education, work experience AND debt free. All are good things. Wish more colleges would do it that way.
1 person likes this
dragon54u
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
10 Dec 09
I really don't see why they couldn't all do it that way, except there must be some kind of politics behind it. It would certainly save our government lots of money if they didn't offer grants and such and instead we had colleges like this one.
natliegleb
@natliegleb (5175)
• India
10 Mar 13
it is good because students can learn a lot within short frame of time and the cost too is less