Lake Michigan College has announced that textbooks will be free this coming academic year for new high school graduates enrolling full-time.
LMC Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Government Affairs Al Pscholka tells us with the state announcing that the Community College Guarantee will provide free in-district tuition for the high school graduating classes of 2023 and 2024 this fall, a lot of money has been freed up at the college. LMC leaders wanted to use the opportunity to help students even more.
“It’s been shown that if you have a textbook on the first day of class, that will increase student success,” Pscholka said. “And with the state picking up the last dollar scholarship, and because of our private donors and all those folks going to the LMC auction every spring, we’re able to allow for free books for the class of ’23 and ’24 this fall.”
So, Pscholka says eligible students this coming fall could save around $500 to $800 by not having to pay for their books.
“This will be for the graduating high school classes of ’23 that were enrolled with us last year and the incoming class of 2024. As long as you’re a full-time student starting class at LMC, there’ll be no charge for books.”
Pscholka says the total dollar amount for free books for all of the affected students is around $1 million. He notes with programs like the Community College Guarantee, Reconnect Michigan, and Red Hawk Futures, it can be basically free for most students to earn a degree at LMC.
Students eligible for free books this fall will simply be put on a list at the college bookstore.