More than half of the state's public college and university students are attending school tuition free, thanks to a combination of grants and scholarships.

"We're at over 210,000 students right now in New York state," said Assistant Secretary for Education Daniel Fuller. "Fifty-three percent of our public college students are going to school tuition free. That's a great, great achievement. This will grow and this will tell others that, most importantly, college is possible."

The top education advisor in Governor Andrew Cuomo's office on Tuesday touted the newest college affordability program, the Excelsior Scholarship, during a legislative hearing on tuition aid and assistance. Approved with much fanfare earlier this year,  Excelsior helps supplement student aid packages, which some lawmakers call last dollar aid.

"It was marketed appropriately," Fuller said. "It was free tuition, which is what we always said. But you also have to get in and out of college."

State officials say 23,000 students are attending a SUNY or CUNY school with an Excelsior scholarship. Many of them have additional aid from programs like TAP and Pell. 

"That's a good thing for the state overall because we want to educate our students," said Assemblywoman Pat Fahy. "The better educated, the better our economy, the better we can attract business."

Some lawmakers say the state was initially slow in rolling out its promotional campaign to make prospective students aware of the aid.

"But given the program was brand new, kudos to the governor's office for catching up and trying to get as much information out last year," Fahy said.

Other lawmakers questioned the income requirements for the program and whether looking back two years was an accurate picture for families in need of the aid.

"We certainly heard from a number of people that if we had still been doing the prior year, they would have been eligible," said Assemblywoman Deborah Glick (D - Manhattan).

In the first year of the program, families that earn up to $100,000 qualify. It will eventually phase in to families with $125,000 in total income.