“I came down here on my visit and they give us a pamphlet with all the different rates,” Jimmy John said. “My dad was looking at it and he’s like, ‘What do we got to do to get Metro?’”
Although their county didn’t qualify for the reduced tuition rate at the time, Jimmy John and his family ultimately decided Marshall was the right fit. Jimmy John chose to enroll at Marshall and is currently in his second semester.
The Metro Tuition rate, which was expanded beyond the bordering counties of Ohio and Kentucky, now includes areas like Columbus, Ohio, and Lexington, Kentucky. This expansion goes into effect for fall 2025 and has already made a major impact, allowing more students from these regions to pay reduced tuition rates instead of the traditionally higher out-of-state costs.
“If you had told me when I first visited that I would be getting this tuition rate and graduating debt-free, I would have thought you were crazy,” Jimmy John said.
For Jimmy John’s family, the news was almost too good to believe. “When I called my parents to tell them Columbus was included, they didn’t believe me,” he said. “My mom was over the moon. They already loved Marshall, and this just made it even better.”
Beyond the financial relief, Jimmy John’s experience at Marshall has been transformative. As a broadcast journalism major, he’s been able to get hands-on experience in his field during his first year, an opportunity he says isn’t common at many larger universities.
“At other schools, you might not get to touch anything related to your major until your junior or senior year. Here, they don’t care what grade you are—they just want you to get involved and start learning.”
And involved he has been. From joining the Student Government Association to working with WMUL, the student radio station, Jimmy John has embraced the tight-knit community that Marshall offers.
“It’s one big, small town,” he said. “The people here are amazing. It’s not just a college—it’s a family.”
Living on campus has also been a highlight of Jimmy John’s college experience. Though he’s just two and a half hours from home, the distance has allowed him to grow independently while still being close enough to visit when needed.
“It’s the perfect distance,” he said. “I can go home for a long weekend if I need to, but I also have the space to truly experience college life.”
With the expanded Metro Tuition rate, Jimmy John is confident more students from his hometown will consider Marshall as a viable, affordable option.
“I’ve had people from my high school ask me about it, and I tell them they just need to come visit. It’s shocking how high-quality the education is for the cost—you won’t find this kind of value anywhere else.”
As Marshall continues to grow and expand its reach, students like Jimmy John are proof that initiatives like the Metro Tuition rate can change lives. By making college more affordable for out-of-state students in nearby regions, the university is not just filling classrooms—it’s building futures.
