You have to give credit where credit is due. A few years back, some incredibly gracious companies like Murphy Oil decided to give back to their communities in a very major way, through what were initially called “promise” programs. In doing so, they inspired a wave of programs that have collectively put as many kids through college as any single private scholarship program out there.

These “challenge” programs, as they came to be known, are meant to inspire high school students to stay focused and pursue a college education. To accomplish that lofty goal, these companies promised to pay for some or all of the college tuition of students living in the towns in which their businesses were based.

Most of these programs require students to maintain onlyaCor B average, stay out of legal trouble, and attend a reasonably priced state college, in addition to living within the geographical area named under the plan. Most plans have minimum residency requirements as well, meaning that you could not move into town a week before college starts and hope to get full funding. But many programs do reward students who live in a covered geographical area for as few as four years and attend a local high school during that time.