Selected Podcast
29 Tuition-free Degrees
Matt Falduto discusses The Last Dollar Scholarship program, which offers 29 tuition-free degree options in high-demand careers.
Featuring:
Matt Falduto
Matt Falduto is the Financial Aid Director of Kirkwood Community College. He has a Master's degree in Higher Education from Iowa State University. He was elected to a three year term as a Delegate at Large of the Iowa Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (IASFAA) in 2018. He also served on the Return of Title IV Task Force for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Transcription:
Scott Webb: Deciding where to go to college is an exciting time for students and parents, but determining how to pay for it, that could be a bit more challenging. Joining me today to tell us about Iowa's last dollar scholarship program is Kirkwood Community College Director of Financial Aid. Matt Falduto. This podcast is brought to you by Kirkwood Community College. I'm Scott Webb. So Matt, thanks so much for joining me today. You know, nationwide, we see college students paying a lot more for their education, as well as taking on bigger and bigger amounts of student loan debt. So I understand that Kirkwood has a program that features 29 tuition free degrees where students can literally pay zero out of pocket for tuition. That is amazing. What is this program and how does it work?
Matt Falduto: So this is the Last Dollar Scholarship Program, which is actually part of the state's Future Ready Iowa program. And the goal of Future Ready Iowa is to have 70% of Iowans with education and training beyond high school by 2025. And so toward that end, the legislature created the Last Dollar Scholarship and students who are in programs which lead the jobs that are in high need in Iowa, they have their tuition paid for by the scholarship.
Host: So what kinds of degrees are available if someone wants to take advantage of this amazing opportunity?
Matt Falduto: Oh my gosh, there's so many dental assisting, welding, nursing, computer software development. I mean there are degree opportunities in all these different types of fields, and health fields and agricultural fields, business and information technology. It's really a wide range of programs that are out there. And you can actually see the whole list of programs on our website. If you go to kirkwood.edu/lastdollarscholarship, pretty easy to find. You can see the whole list of programs and like I say, there are a whole bunch of them in lots of different areas.
Host: Yeah. So kirkwood.edu that's a great place to go. A great resource. So students, of course, they're going to wonder how do they qualify for this opportunity?
Matt Falduto: They need to complete the FAFSA by July 1st the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that students fill out to become eligible for Pell grants and Stafford loans and all those federal programs. The State uses that for this Last Dollar Scholarship program as well and so July 1st is that deadline. It's not that far away, so I'd encourage folks, even if they're just thinking about doing this for the fall, to go ahead and apply before that deadline, just to be sure that they've got their FAFSA out there in case they decide they do want to go ahead and do this. You know one thing about this program though is there's no need requirement, so they're not looking at income or parents' income. You just have to be otherwise eligible for financial aid, and then they look at what other grants you've gotten and pay the difference on your tuition.
That's why it's called the Last Dollar Scholarship. It pays that last dollar you owe after all the other grants are figured in. Now there are two different groups of students for the program. Those who are straight out of high school and those who are 20 years or older. The straight out of high school students, they have to be enrolled full time. The idea is that the State wants them to focus on gain their, do degrees quickly and get into the workforce. However, there's older students who may want to go back to school and for those students who maybe have family responsibilities, the program allows them to be enrolled at least half time and still receive that grant. They specifically made the program, so that works for both our younger students as well as a non traditional student. So it works for everybody.
Host: Yeah, it sure sounds like it. And as you say, why not sort of hedge your bets if you're not sure what you're going to do or how you're going to do it or how you're going to pay for things, why not get that application in? There is still time to do that. You know, Matt, it's a very stressful time obviously for a lot of people and there's a lot of people out of work. But for those in demand careers, there are jobs out there. We just need the right training and education. So if someone graduates from Kirkwood as a part of the last dollar scholarship program, what's their outlook for jobs?
Matt Falduto: Well I think it's pretty good. I mean the reason why these programs are on the list is because I would need people to fill these jobs. Iowa work first development is the one that comes up with these lists of programs that are high need for our state. We need nurses, we need computer software designers, we very much need welders. And Kirkwood has a career services office too, which can help students find the right career for them. So I mean this, you know, if you're not sure, am I going to have a job after I graduate college? Well, look at this list of programs cause these are the programs where there are jobs and also we're going to pay the tuition for you. So you don't have to, it doesn't cost you anything too, so it's, I mean, it's just a great opportunity.
Host: So what about other educational expenses that oftentimes people don't think about? Books, supplies. Can students apply for other scholarships to help offset those costs?
Matt Falduto: Oh, absolutely. Kirkwood actually offers over $3 million in scholarships every year. And then there are the federal and state grant programs, which can help students with those needs as well. Of course, it's also a lot easier to pay for books and supplies when your tuition is completely paid for. So that's another way that this this program certainly helps students out.
Host: Absolutely. And that's what we're trying to do here today. And also to let everyone know there's still plenty of time and it's such an amazing program. So those of us who have carried a debt around most of our adult lives, we know the answer to this question, but what advantages in life will a student have if they earn a tuition free degree and graduate with absolutely no student loan debt?
Matt Falduto: Well just think about it. I mean they'll be able to get that house more quickly, right? They can build up the money to save for a down payment and get the house more quickly. They can get a car more quickly. I mean not having a student loan payment, taking a chunk out of your monthly take home pay means you can move more quickly into that comfortable life with the nice house and a picket fence and two and a half children if that's what you want, you know? And for a lot of our non traditional students, they already get that because they've been struggling to make ends meet and that's precisely like going back to school can make all the difference. They want a better life for them and their families and that program will give them that boost toward the better life and it makes our state stronger and more productive and just a better place to live. I mean this program really helps all Iowans in that way by just making Iowa stronger.
Host: I like that. And maybe they should put that on t-shirt. Make Iowa strong, Iowa stronger. I, I, you're onto something there, Matt.
Matt Falduto: That's right.
Host: So lastly, let's go back over this again today. How do students apply for one of the many tuition free degrees?
Matt Falduto: Ah, so they go to our website, kirkwood.edu/apply. There's links right there and they fill out a Kirkwood application and then we contact you and figure out what the next steps are.
Host: Matt, thanks so much for your time today. Good luck with everything and stay well. For more information on the Last Dollar Scholarship program or to apply for admission, visit kirkwood.edu. And thanks for listening to this podcast brought to you by Kirkwood Community College. I'm Scott Webb, go Eagles.
Scott Webb: Deciding where to go to college is an exciting time for students and parents, but determining how to pay for it, that could be a bit more challenging. Joining me today to tell us about Iowa's last dollar scholarship program is Kirkwood Community College Director of Financial Aid. Matt Falduto. This podcast is brought to you by Kirkwood Community College. I'm Scott Webb. So Matt, thanks so much for joining me today. You know, nationwide, we see college students paying a lot more for their education, as well as taking on bigger and bigger amounts of student loan debt. So I understand that Kirkwood has a program that features 29 tuition free degrees where students can literally pay zero out of pocket for tuition. That is amazing. What is this program and how does it work?
Matt Falduto: So this is the Last Dollar Scholarship Program, which is actually part of the state's Future Ready Iowa program. And the goal of Future Ready Iowa is to have 70% of Iowans with education and training beyond high school by 2025. And so toward that end, the legislature created the Last Dollar Scholarship and students who are in programs which lead the jobs that are in high need in Iowa, they have their tuition paid for by the scholarship.
Host: So what kinds of degrees are available if someone wants to take advantage of this amazing opportunity?
Matt Falduto: Oh my gosh, there's so many dental assisting, welding, nursing, computer software development. I mean there are degree opportunities in all these different types of fields, and health fields and agricultural fields, business and information technology. It's really a wide range of programs that are out there. And you can actually see the whole list of programs on our website. If you go to kirkwood.edu/lastdollarscholarship, pretty easy to find. You can see the whole list of programs and like I say, there are a whole bunch of them in lots of different areas.
Host: Yeah. So kirkwood.edu that's a great place to go. A great resource. So students, of course, they're going to wonder how do they qualify for this opportunity?
Matt Falduto: They need to complete the FAFSA by July 1st the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that students fill out to become eligible for Pell grants and Stafford loans and all those federal programs. The State uses that for this Last Dollar Scholarship program as well and so July 1st is that deadline. It's not that far away, so I'd encourage folks, even if they're just thinking about doing this for the fall, to go ahead and apply before that deadline, just to be sure that they've got their FAFSA out there in case they decide they do want to go ahead and do this. You know one thing about this program though is there's no need requirement, so they're not looking at income or parents' income. You just have to be otherwise eligible for financial aid, and then they look at what other grants you've gotten and pay the difference on your tuition.
That's why it's called the Last Dollar Scholarship. It pays that last dollar you owe after all the other grants are figured in. Now there are two different groups of students for the program. Those who are straight out of high school and those who are 20 years or older. The straight out of high school students, they have to be enrolled full time. The idea is that the State wants them to focus on gain their, do degrees quickly and get into the workforce. However, there's older students who may want to go back to school and for those students who maybe have family responsibilities, the program allows them to be enrolled at least half time and still receive that grant. They specifically made the program, so that works for both our younger students as well as a non traditional student. So it works for everybody.
Host: Yeah, it sure sounds like it. And as you say, why not sort of hedge your bets if you're not sure what you're going to do or how you're going to do it or how you're going to pay for things, why not get that application in? There is still time to do that. You know, Matt, it's a very stressful time obviously for a lot of people and there's a lot of people out of work. But for those in demand careers, there are jobs out there. We just need the right training and education. So if someone graduates from Kirkwood as a part of the last dollar scholarship program, what's their outlook for jobs?
Matt Falduto: Well I think it's pretty good. I mean the reason why these programs are on the list is because I would need people to fill these jobs. Iowa work first development is the one that comes up with these lists of programs that are high need for our state. We need nurses, we need computer software designers, we very much need welders. And Kirkwood has a career services office too, which can help students find the right career for them. So I mean this, you know, if you're not sure, am I going to have a job after I graduate college? Well, look at this list of programs cause these are the programs where there are jobs and also we're going to pay the tuition for you. So you don't have to, it doesn't cost you anything too, so it's, I mean, it's just a great opportunity.
Host: So what about other educational expenses that oftentimes people don't think about? Books, supplies. Can students apply for other scholarships to help offset those costs?
Matt Falduto: Oh, absolutely. Kirkwood actually offers over $3 million in scholarships every year. And then there are the federal and state grant programs, which can help students with those needs as well. Of course, it's also a lot easier to pay for books and supplies when your tuition is completely paid for. So that's another way that this this program certainly helps students out.
Host: Absolutely. And that's what we're trying to do here today. And also to let everyone know there's still plenty of time and it's such an amazing program. So those of us who have carried a debt around most of our adult lives, we know the answer to this question, but what advantages in life will a student have if they earn a tuition free degree and graduate with absolutely no student loan debt?
Matt Falduto: Well just think about it. I mean they'll be able to get that house more quickly, right? They can build up the money to save for a down payment and get the house more quickly. They can get a car more quickly. I mean not having a student loan payment, taking a chunk out of your monthly take home pay means you can move more quickly into that comfortable life with the nice house and a picket fence and two and a half children if that's what you want, you know? And for a lot of our non traditional students, they already get that because they've been struggling to make ends meet and that's precisely like going back to school can make all the difference. They want a better life for them and their families and that program will give them that boost toward the better life and it makes our state stronger and more productive and just a better place to live. I mean this program really helps all Iowans in that way by just making Iowa stronger.
Host: I like that. And maybe they should put that on t-shirt. Make Iowa strong, Iowa stronger. I, I, you're onto something there, Matt.
Matt Falduto: That's right.
Host: So lastly, let's go back over this again today. How do students apply for one of the many tuition free degrees?
Matt Falduto: Ah, so they go to our website, kirkwood.edu/apply. There's links right there and they fill out a Kirkwood application and then we contact you and figure out what the next steps are.
Host: Matt, thanks so much for your time today. Good luck with everything and stay well. For more information on the Last Dollar Scholarship program or to apply for admission, visit kirkwood.edu. And thanks for listening to this podcast brought to you by Kirkwood Community College. I'm Scott Webb, go Eagles.