Should N.J. copy N.Y.'s tuition-free college program? Not so fast, state says

TRENTON -- Now that New York has decided to offer a tuition-free program at its public colleges and universities, New Jersey lawmakers have been wondering: Should the Garden State take a similar approach?

The answer: Not so fast, state officials said Tuesday.

"I don't think we are prepared today to discuss the New York plan," said Gabrielle Charette, executive director of the agency that oversees New Jersey's student loan program. "I think that there is a lot that needs to be studied there, and I think we want to see how that works."

The question and response came during the state Senate's annual hearing on funding for higher education. New Jersey currently has some of the nation's most expensive colleges, though it offers generous financial aid packages for low-income students.

The state has also been criticized for its student loan repayment policies after after a joint investigation by The New York Times and ProPublica revealed New Jersey's program has some of the nation's strictest terms for student loans.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/education/2017/05/should_nj_copy_nys_free_college_program_not_so_fas.html