{
  "id": 10961481,
  "title": "I go to a tuition-free college where every student works part-time. I'm very busy, but I'll graduate nearly debt-free.",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/i-go-to-a-tuition-free-college-where-every-student-works-part-time-im",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-30T14:07:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Insider",
    "slug": "business-insider",
    "url": "https://www.businessinsider.com/tuition-free-college-work-program-student-debt"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Grace Mullins, a rising senior sociology major at Berea College in Kentucky, works part-time while attending the tuition-free college to avoid student debt. Berea College, one of ten federally recognized work colleges in the U.S., requires all students to work at least 10 hours per week starting their freshman year. Mullins began her career at Berea as a childcare worker in the child development lab, later becoming a Resident Advisor in the dormitories. By graduation, she will have gained valuable work experience and leadership skills. While she will have a small loan balance of under $10,000, she believes she can pay it off before graduating. Mullins, who initially wanted to become an elementary school teacher, discovered Berea while searching for affordable education options and found the college's model ideal for her career goals. The tuition-free model has provided her with the financial freedom to explore other career paths, such as pursuing a graduate degree in sociology.",
  "summary": "Grace Mullins, a student at Berea College in Kentucky, shares her experience at a labor college, where students work and many graduate debt-free.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}