‘STARS' program now offers top students free four-year college education

Newton - STARS II, an extension of the N.J. Student Tuition Assistance Rewards Scholarship program, was recently enacted by the governor and state legislature. The ongoing original program provides the brightest students in the state — those who graduate in the top 20 percent of their high school class — with free tuition at Sussex County Community College. The program covers tuition and most fees for up to five semesters of full-time study at the college. The new extension will allow any of those students who earn an associate’s degree and maintains a 3.0 grade point average or higher to transfer to a N.J. public four-year college or university. The state will provide a $5,000 per year scholarship; the remaining balance of tuition and approved fees during the junior and senior years is covered by the participating institutions. Participating institutions are Rutgers University, N.J. Institute of Technology, The College of N.J., Kean University, Montclair State University, N.J. City University, Ramapo College of N.J., The Richard Stockton College of N.J.; Rowan University, Thomas Edison State College, and William Paterson University of N.J. Under the program, community college credits are fully transferable, allowing students to begin at the four-year institution as juniors. Students will also be able to receive any other state and federal need-based grants and merit scholarships to which they are entitled. For information, call 973-300-2253.