Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Sun., Oct. 1, that approximately 53 percent of full-time SUNY and CUNY in-state students are going to school tuition-free this year. That number includes the students receiving an Excelsior Scholarship, TAP, Pell and other financial aid. Approximately 45,000 students were deemed eligible for free tuition through the Excelsior Scholarship process, according to Cuomo's office. "...Our first-in-the-nation Excelsior Scholarship is designed so more New Yorkers go to college tuition-free and receive the education they deserve to reach their full potential." Cuomo said. The number of students currently receiving scholarships aligns with the state's initial projections for the program's first year. The number of students eligible for the scholarship is expected to rise with each subsequent year until the program is fully implemented. There are still more than 6,000 applications pending final approval for this year, so ultimately the number of award recipients is expected to rise. Read the full story in the Daily Freeman.