LYNN — Three students from St. Mary’s High School are educating fellow students and families about how to get through college without debt.
Calli Allaire, Jack Dignan, and Cameryn Dunn came up with the financial literacy project out of an assignment for a business class. But they wanted to make it available to the wider community. And with that, “ClearPath” was born.
“We want to educate everyone about growing debt in the U.S.,” Dunn said. “But our main goal is to help as many students in Lynn and the North Shore area for whom the path to education can be challenging.”
A webinar held over Zoom Wednesday night revealed ways that goal can be achieved.
The hour-long session, which featured guest speakers from St. Mary’s, North Shore Community College and the UMass Lowell ROTC program, drew 169 listeners to learn about pathways into higher education without breaking the bank.
One path involves need-blind/no-loan colleges, institutions that promise to meet the full financial needs of students through grants, scholarships, and work-study programs.
Many of these schools, however, can be quite selective. Harvard, Columbia, Princeton and Stanford all sit comfortably on this list. But so do colleges like Grinnell College in Iowa, Washington and Lee in Virginia and Colby College in Maine.
Community colleges can help students get a foot in the door, especially within the Massachusetts university system. The MassEducate law, signed by Gov. Maura Healey earlier this year, makes it possible for anyone to obtain a two-year degree for free regardless of income level, said Jennifer Bell, senior admissions counselor at North Shore Community College. All one has to do is fill out their FAFSA and MASFA paperwork, apply to a community college in the state of their choice, and pass their classes.
Bell also stressed the importance of the Mass transfer program, which guarantees acceptance and the transfer of community college credits to any of the state universities.
“It’s a great time to consider community college in Massachusetts right now,” Bell said.
The UMass system also covers full tuition and fees for families making less than $75,000 beginning in fall 2025. Campuses at Dartmouth and Amherst even guarantee housing, said Courtney Dignan, a math teacher at St. Mary’s.
Captain Sean Rabbie from UMass Lowell’s Air Force ROTC program outlined the benefits of enrolling in college through the ROTC. Students are able to compete for scholarships that cover three and four years of tuition and fees. Two-year scholarships cover up to $18,000, which could still cover the full tuition at many of the state schools in Massachusetts, Rabbie said.
Students would also be required to undergo military training and, upon graduation, would be guaranteed a rank of 2nd Lt., a role that could see new graduates earning about $96,000 per year, Rabbie said.
It also doesn’t matter what subject you study. “Whatever you major in, we’ll find a job for you,” Rabbie said.
Students seeking a college education may also consider applying to a military academy. Yet the process, said St. Mary’s student Derek Tarraza, is quite involved, requiring acceptance to the college, the successful completion of a physical exam, interviews, and a congressional nomination.
But each path can bring a sense of financial security, which can go a long way toward enhancing a young person’s career and mental health.
College loan debt currently exceeds $1.7 trillion, the second-largest amount of consumer debt in the U.S. The average debt load hovers between $37,000 and $38,000.
Graduating from college debt-free, the ClearPath kids say, isn’t just easy on the bank account. Lower debt levels can have long-term financial, personal, and mental health benefits.
“The pressure of student loan debt can lead to anxiety, depression, and a sense of being trapped financially,” their website states. “Graduating without debt is correlated with improved mental well-being, allowing for a greater focus on personal growth and life satisfaction.”
Further, “graduating without student loans gives you more control over your finances, as you’re not tied to burdensome monthly loan repayments,” they said. “This allows you to save and allocate money toward other priorities, such as retirement, buying a home, or investing.” And graduating without a heavy load to pay back can allow students the freedom to pursue careers that align with their passions.
During the Q&A session, the speakers recalled their experiences of when they were in college. All valued the importance of higher education.
“I didn’t want to be poor anymore,” Dignan said.
And if the process feels daunting, ClearPath and its guests advocate doing your research to ensure the best possible way forward.
“You’re going to be okay,” Bell said.
