College tuition just won’t give us a break, will it?
I went to an expensive college (much too expensive), so I know how it is. Every little bit starts to add up, and all of sudden you’re out of school and bound to paying outrageous loan payments.
Hopefully, of course, this hasn’t happened to you. But if you’re in Virginia, and you’re headed to college in the next few years, the public institutions are not going to make it any easier, unfortunately. In fact, Virginia public colleges are raising in-state tuition prices by five percent.
And it’s not just tuition. Mandatory fees and room and board costs are rising, too.
So, what colleges does this include? Well, all public colleges in the state, from community colleges to universities like William and Mary and University of Virginia (UVA). And why is this happening? One main aspect is that the competition for top professors and faculty has escalated, which means paying higher salaries to retain and acquire the best of the best. Building maintenance and an increase in student services programs have also contributed to the higher costs. Since the 1930s, students and their families have been contributing more and more to the upkeep and operations of universities:
“With this year’s increases, students and their families will pay 55 percent of the cost, on average, at Virginia’s four-year schools, while the state pays 45 percent,” the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
This, unfortunately, contributes to fun things that I have to deal with, like student loan debt.
My advice? Before you head to college, do your research. Make sure that the college has all the right programs that you need. And if you can complete some of the basic requirements elsewhere, that will save you quite a bit of cash. Oh, and never, no matter what you do, take out a private loan. Some people like me didn’t really have a choice, but if you do, don’t. You’ll never get rid of them.
To learn more, read the full Richmond Times-Dispatch article here.
Courtesy of niche.com
Are you heading to college next year? How are you planning to pay for tuition? Continue the conversation in the comments below!
