Washington — When the time came for 18-year-old Emmanuel Charles to pick a college, his first inclination was to go to Morgan State University or Temple University.
Both schools accepted him and—as a D.C. resident—he would have been able to basically pay the in-state tuition rate at either school through the DC Tuition Grant Assistance program, known as DC TAG.
But when Charles learned from his high school principal that the University of the District of Columbia—or UDC—was offering a full ride to a select group of top students such as himself, plus a $6,000 housing stipend, Charles scrapped his plans to go out of state and settled on going to college close to home.
“Money was just an issue and when I was informed that I could receive full four years of scholarships for free, I just thought that would be the best option for me,” said Charles, who—as one of five children—says he did not want to further financially burden his parents, who have already sent three of their children to college.
Charles was also concerned about the impact that student loan debt might have on his future financial stability. He has heard the stories of college graduates who can’t find good jobs despite having a college degree and who are burdened by debt.
“I just thought that the free housing and free college tuition just seemed like a better deal than having to pay any money,” Charles said.
Charles is attending UDC this fall through a new initiative called DC-UP that seeks to attract the top students from the District with generous scholarships.
