NORWICH – Students in Chenango, Otsego, Delaware and Madison county’s schools in the DCMO BOCES region will have access to college education at no cost.

A free college degree option was the topic of discussion at a parent orientation meeting held at Unatego Central School this month. Thanks to collaborative efforts between the Unatego Central School and Tompkins Cortland Community College, high school students will have the opportunity to take SUNY credit bearing courses without cost to pursue a business administration associate’s degree.

Julie Lambiaso, High School Principal at Unatego Central School, highlighted the benefits of this program: “Because many of the classes we offer meet both the high school graduation requirements and the curriculum guidelines for SUNY college courses, students can maximize their school years to achieve both academic goals,” she said.

Lambiaso also commented about the financial impact for families. “Students who pursue this new program walk away with college credits worth thousands of dollars. These SUNY credits are portable and accepted at all SUNY institutions. Students who only take a few courses can reduce their college expenses by validating these credits towards the desired degree.”