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Religion Forum Index » Christian Methodist Forum » UMNS: Is college education affordable?
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 Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2004 6:19 pm |
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College education more affordable than most think
Apr. 2, 2004
By Pamela Crosby*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)-Affordable tuition is an important challenge for
United Methodist colleges and universities today, according to a
university president.
James Davis, president of Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va., said
"one of the greatest challenges facing United Methodist institutions of
higher education is related to keeping our programs affordable for
students and staying true to our mission which has always included
excellence in scholarship and service to the church."
As the cost of higher education rises rapidly at public and some private
institutions, United Methodist colleges and universities work to keep
their tuition increases at less than 5 percent.
Tuition and fees at a public four-year institution this academic year
cost an average of $4,694, a 14.1 percent increase over 2002-03. The
average tuition and fees at a private, four-year college or university
are $19,710, a 6 percent increase over last year. Factoring in room
and board, books and supplies greatly increases the cost, according to
the College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the
Scholastic Aptitude Test.
"It's getting outrageous," said Chelsea Curtley, a second-year student
at the University of Houston. "I had to drop some classes because I
couldn't afford them."
A sluggish economy and state budget deficits mean many students at
public and private schools pay record-breaking tuition increases to help
institutions compensate for cuts in state funding. Contributing to
college and university budgets are declining endowments, a downturn in
fund-raising revenues, increasingly scarce state and federal support for
student aid, and skyrocketing costs for health care, updated library
resources, and technology.
Tuition and fees at United Methodist-related institutions are part of
the College Board averages, but higher education officials observe that
the college cost is rising faster at institutions other than United
Methodist-related schools.
Private college and university presidents are working hard to minimize
the impact of tuition increases while maintaining the quality of
education and training they provide, according to Davis.
"The natural forces in our society push our institutions from being
access points for educational opportunity for the underserved to being
selective enrollment centers that serve the affluent and brightest," he
explained.
"It is a challenge to keep open pathways for the first-generation
college students, children from minority and disadvantaged backgrounds,
and even adults who have been deprived the chance to attend college out
of high school," Davis added.
Ken Yamada, an executive with the United Methodist Board of Higher
Education and Ministry, said a private education is more affordable than
most families think.
Thanks to a variety of federal and state grants, scholarships, matching
programs with churches, loan programs, and work-study opportunities,
students pay less than the published tuition at private colleges and
universities. United Methodist-related institutions pride themselves on
the efforts to help students meet their educational dreams, he said.
Although rapid double-digit tuition increases at publicly-supported
state institutions prompted a U.S. Congress investigation, tuition costs
at United Methodist colleges and universities have maintained an average
of 20 percent below the national average, said Yamada.
The published price list at United Methodist schools is relatively high,
but the actual cost to students is not significantly higher, according
to Ted Brown, president of Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn.
"In fact, after several rounds of major tuition/fee increases at public
institutions over the last few years, our actual cost to students is
very competitive," he noted.
Katherine Vaught, a second-year, political science major at Shenandoah
University, said she expected her college costs to be high no matter
where she went. "With my grants, scholarships, and work study, it didn't
cost much more than going to a public school," she said.
Vaught receives government grants and loans, a grant through the United
Methodist Church, and a $4,000 academic scholarship.
According to the Board of Higher Education and Ministry, United
Methodist-related institutions offer generous scholarship programs.
Approximately $265 million in scholarship funding was provided for
46,113 United Methodist students in 1999.
Adam Burgett, a junior at Martin Methodist College, said he was not
eligible to take advantage of government grants, but help from United
Methodist programs eased his financial load considerably.
Pursing a major in church vocations with an emphasis on pre-seminary,
Burgett received help through the board's Gift of Hope: 21st Century
Scholars Program and the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation's
"Double Your Dollars for Scholars" program, which matches gifts from
local congregations, and a work study program.
United Methodist local churches are partnering with institutions on
scholarship assistance and support. "My church gave me a small
scholarship when I graduated from high school. Then, I approached them
with the Double Your Dollars for Scholars program, and they contributed
again," said Burgett.
He said he also benefits from the Center for Church Leadership, a
program that identifies, recruits, and trains individuals for effective
leadership within the United Methodist Church.
"We are finding that churches are willing to do this because they see
the way we are providing a service back to them through the Center for
Church Leadership," Brown said. "I don't think there is any question
that the way to keep the cost of church-related education down is to
offer programs that make a difference for the churches, that provide
skilled and dedicated leadership back to the congregations."
********************
Colleges and financial aid
Apr. 2, 2004
By Pamela Crosby*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS)--When considering the price of higher education,
it always pays to remember that most colleges have several kinds of
student aid available.
At United Methodist-related colleges, from 35 percent to 90 percent of
the students receive some form of financial aid.
The price for tuition listed in college catalogs and on the Internet is
rarely what students and parents pay. It's important no one assume that
the sticker price is final.
Only 8 percent of students enrolled in four-year institutions pay full
tuition charges of $24,000 per year, according to the American Council
on Education. About 29 percent attend institutions charging less than
$4,000, and almost 70 percent face tuition charges of less than $8,000.
On an average, students at most public and private schools graduate with
approximately $20,000 in debt.
Institutional aid (grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and
loans) brings down the price of higher education.
Taking into consideration grant aid and adjustments for inflation, the
average tuition paid at private colleges has actually declined over the
past decade, according to the American Council on Education.
An earlier graduation rate (graduating in four years or less) lowers the
cost. Cutting down the time spent in college doubles the benefit of
finishing early.
Planning ahead for college increases the chances of having a lower debt.
When planning ahead, college and university officials suggest
remembering the following definitions:
ˇ Cost: the amount institutions spend to provide education and
related education services to students (measured through expenditures)
ˇ Price: the amount students and their families are charged and
what they pay for educational services. Prices differ, depending on what
is included.
ˇ Sticker price: The tuition and fees that institutions charge.
ˇ Price of attendance: The tuition and fees (sticker price) that
institutions charge students, plus other expenses related to their
education. These expenses may include housing (room and board if the
student lives on campus, or rent or related housing costs if the student
does not live on campus), books, and transportation. This term is often
referred to as the "cost of attendance."
ˇ Net price: The amount students and their families pay after
financial aid is subtracted from the total price of attendance.
Krista Gray, a pre-pharmacy student at United Methodist-related
Shenandoah University, Winchester, Va., said because of the large
numbers of people trying to get money for college, "it is impossible for
everyone to get help." She suggests that prospective college students
and current students "check out local organizations for scholarships,
apply for every scholarship possible in hopes that you at least will get
a couple of them. This way everyone will have an opportunity to pay for
the education they want."
The 123 United Methodist-related schools, colleges and seminaries serve
United Methodist students and their families through generous
scholarship programs. The United Methodist Loans and Scholarships
programs, the United Methodist Foundation for Christian Higher Education
scholarships, the Black College Fund apportionment, and United Methodist
Student Day Offering are among the opportunities awaiting students.
In 2001, scholarships were granted to 4,186 students; in 2002, 4,190
students received scholarships; and as of July 8, 2003, 2,245 students
had received scholarships
Scholarship figures are based on the academic year.
In 2001, the Office of Loans and Scholarships granted loans to 1,334
students; in 2002, 756 students; and as of June 30, 2003, 401 students.
********************
United Methodist News Service
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