The Free College Handbook: A Practitioner’s Guide to Promise Research

The Free College Handbook represents the collective effort of a dozen researchers and was funded by the Kresge Foundation through its CoPro 2.0 initiative. It is structured around 24 questions, with brief summaries of the answers appearing on each page. You can explore the full version of each entry, explore policy considerations, and find additional resources by reviewing the Handbook Index. The handbook can be downloaded in its entirety by clicking on the button below.

The Free College Handbook Topics

What is the Free College Handbook?

Question 1: What is the Free College Handbook?

Part 1: Rationale for Promise programs and observed benefits

Question 2: Why are Promise programs becoming more common: College Prices

Question 3: Why are Promise programs becoming more common: Value of Degrees

Question 4: Why are Promise programs becoming more common: Educated Workforce

Question 5: How do Promise programs benefit students: Messaging

Question 6: How do Promise programs benefit students: Student Support

Question 7: How do Promise programs benefit students: Enrollment and Completion

Question 8: How do Promise programs benefit students: Borrowing

Question 9: How do Promise programs benefit K-12 schools?

Question 10: How do Promise programs benefit communities?

Question 11: How do Promise programs benefit states?

Part 2: Building a Promise program

Question 12: What are the main cost components of a Promise program?

Question 13: What are the main funding sources for a Promise program?

Question 14: Who should sit at the planning table?

Question 15: What steps are needed to launch a Promise program?

Question 16: How do Promise programs evolve over time?

Question 17: What are common challenges in establishing Promise programs?

Part 3: Designing for success

Question 18: Scholarship design: Which students should be eligible?

Question 19: Scholarship design: Which institutions should be included?

Question 20: Scholarship design: How should the scholarship be structured?

Question 21: Success factors: How does messaging affect program use and impact?

Question 22: Success factors: What are the best approaches to student support?

Question 23: Success factors: What is the role of research and evaluation?

Question 24: Success factors: How can stakeholders build community alignment?

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Who made this handbook?

Selected Promise Programs: These are some of the programs that are mentioned throughout the handbook.