The effect of free tuition: Horry-Georgetown Tech sees record-setting enrollment

Eight months after implementing free tuition for almost all of its programs, Horry-Georgetown Technical College is seeing the effects that decision has had on access to higher education.

This fall, the school shattered its enrollment records and added more than 2,000 students to its campuses, a 30% increase year-over-year, the school announced this week. The college now has more than 8,400 students enrolled, toppling its previous record enrollment of 7,800 students set in 2010.

“The influx of new students speaks to the quality of education at HGTC,” Horry-Georgetown Tech President Marilyn Murphy Fore said in a statement.

The fall semester began Aug. 22 for full-semester classes. The students will keep arriving, however, until as late as October, for delayed-start Flex classes and shortened “Fast Forward” classes.

Along with having the most total students ever, the school also welcomed its largest class of new students, with nearly 4,700 newcomers now enrolled, a 35% increase over 2021.

“HGTC is pleased with the community’s faith in the College especially in a time when two-year colleges across the nation have seen an alarming enrollment decline, and employers have seen an increased need for highly skilled workers,” Fore said in a statement. “We are delighted to see a surge in interest in HGTC as the first choice among students to earn a high-quality education while enjoying a rewarding college experience.”

The school has been repeatedly applauded over the years for its work to not only help its students pursue higher education but also for the way its programs regularly meet the needs of the local community, from its Culinary Institute that has a high job placement rate with local restaurants to its expanded mechanic program to help with worker shortages in the trucking industry.

In May 2021, Gov. Henry McMaster surprised Fore by awarding her the Order of the Palmetto at that semester’s graduation ceremony. Created in 1971, the Governor’s Office calls it “the state’s highest civilian honor awarded to citizens of South Carolina for extraordinary lifetime service.”

“She is one of the best South Carolina has to offer,” McMaster said. The Order of the Palmetto “is signed by me, your proud, happy governor on behalf of 5.2 million proud, happy citizens.”

The school began offering free tuition for most of its programs in January 2022, thanks to a $1.6 million allocation from McMaster via federal American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief funds given to states last year.

“We have funds that we’ve never had before to help students, so they have no out-of-pocket costs,” Fore said in January. She often asks potential students and the public if they plan to go to college. But the response is often, “No, I’m saving my money. I’m saving money for paying tuition.”

Thanks to the free tuition, Fore can now counter those students who say they don’t have the money to pay for school.

Upon learning about the new funding, Fore said in January that students had told her, “Wow, you mean I can come to college and I can take care of going to work and take care of my family? I don’t need to worry about tuition?”

Student Affairs Vice President Melissa Batten said she believes the college’s “culture of care” for its students is a major reason why so many people decided to choose the college to further their higher education dreams.

“We work tirelessly to support students to be successful and lift them up when needed,” Batten said in a statement. “I believe that culture of care and the overall Gator community has resonated with our students, and that has shown in our enrollment numbers this fall.”

Anyone interested in applying to the school can call 843-347-3186 or visit www.hgtc.edu.