Maine Community Colleges Offer New Graduates Free Online Courses

Newly-graduated high school seniors will be able to take free online college courses through the Maine Community College system, saving them big bucks in tuition.

It's been an uncertain year for Maine's high school seniors. They've lost out on a lot, including traditional graduation ceremonies, proms, and just spending the day-to-day of their last year in high school with their friends. Instead, they've been stuck at home, avoiding spending time with people outside of their own families, and taking virtual classes. And it's not going to get better anytime soon. Summer jobs are going to be in short supply, making earning money for school much more difficult.

It's not the usual carefree, fun-filled senior year most people get to enjoy. So, Maine's Community College system decided to give high school seniors a gift that could save them between $2,000 and $3,000 in tuition at a four-year college or university. They can sign up to take a free online college course this summer that will also give them a head start in their studies. Students can choose from a variety of courses, including English, math, sciences, languages, psychology, history, digital photography, creative writing, and more.

David Daigler, President of the Maine Community College System, said in a media release, "We can't replace what they have lost, but we can offer to help them keep moving forward."

Roughly 13,000 Maine students will graduate from high school this spring, and about 8,000 of those teens are expected to enroll in college in the fall. The MCCS Gift to the Class of 2020 is open to all. Find more information on the EMCC website.