While politicians debate ways to reduce the cost of a
college education, the Texas State University System (TSUS) is joining a growing
list of institutions trying to do something about it. TSUS will begin participating
in the Freshman Year for Free program in 2016 through its partnership with the not-for-profit Modern States Education
Alliance.
TSUS is the first public institution in Texas to offer
the program, joining Rice University in Dallas and institutions and higher-education
organizations in Arizona, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and
Tennessee.
“Our goal in partnering with Modern States’ Freshman
Year for Free program is to provide students with another option to earn their
degree on a timeline and budget that works for them,” said TSUS Chancellor
Brian McCall.
Students participating in the program will be able to
select freshman-level courses from the Modern States catalog that will apply
toward degrees at TSUS institutions. Once the courses are completed, students
can take Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
tests for college credit.
The program will offer more than 30 online college
courses being developed by the massive open online course provider edX with no
cost for the course or online texts and materials. Modern States is creating a
web portal for its course catalog that will also link students to resources
such as low-cost or no-cost tutors and information on partner colleges and
universities.
