State officials in Michigan expected a big response when they launched a free college program for adults earlier this year. They got lots of takers, all right — 67,000 and counting.
Johnathon Young thought about going to college on and off over the years, but money was always a factor.
Laying down tiles and floorboards for a living meant paying tuition would be stretch. The work also took a physical toll on him.
“It’s really tough on the body,” Young said.
He was ready for a long-term career change when his wife saw an online ad touting a program to enroll in community college for free.
This summer, Young, 36, will be a first-time college student, compliments of a state program designed for adults like him who’ve never attended or completed college.
The Michigan Reconnect program, launched in February by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, allows state residents age 25 and older to attend local community colleges tuition-free, as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent and didn’t already graduate from college.
It took Young an hour to fill out the application, and a few days later he was accepted to Henry Ford College in Dearborn, a mile from his house.