The Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise offers free tuition to first-time students attending college full-time. For many students, the Promise offered them a path to college. Here is the story of one Promise student.
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| Juan Soto |
A student at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, Juan Soto
dreams of transferring to a University of California or California State
University campus, earning a bachelor’s degree in music theory and launching a
career as an educator working with public schools to develop strong music
programs.
Those dreams would be dead if it weren’t for the
Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise, a program providing two years of free tuition
for first-time, full-time students at either college.
“It would have been hard going to college without the
Promise,” Soto said. “Even if I would have been able to go, I would have been
taking cell phone pictures of the pages in a textbook, because I wouldn’t be
able to afford them.”
Instead, Soto is the first in his family to go to college. A percussionist who also plays the keyboards,
Soto is well on his way toward reaching his dream; he performs with the
Cuyamaca College Concert Band and has immersed himself in music theory and
more.
“The music programs at both Grossmont and Cuyamaca are
great,” he said. “And the people are here to help you.”
One of four children, Soto is living with his single mom
who works a pair of low-paying jobs to make ends meet. When he heard about the
Promise while attending Monte Vista High School, Soto said it made the decision
to attend college a big ‘no-duh’ and eliminated the need of having to work full
time, which would have diverted from his studies.
“The Promise gave me an opportunity - an opportunity to go
to college,” Soto said.
