Alert! Stakes Are High!!!

Costs are increasing rather than decreasing at top ranked schools.Why? Is the plan to force students to vote for Bernie Sanders because they have lost hope, resulting in a radically different economic environment? They are becoming a “lost generation” saddled with enormous debt and unable to obtain employment in their fields of study. Then to face years of student loan payments based on false promises.

 I asked a student”Are you okay with this?” His response was something to think about. “What can we do about it?”

This is all about Power, who has it and who doesn’t.

Students have more power than they realize but the real power is with the parents in deciding and financing which colleges and universities students can or should attend. Reward the schools that really are acting in the interest of the students and society!

CU Boulder Board of Regents approved 7-2 that tuition and mandatory fees would be locked in and guanteed for the 4 years required to obtain a degree.  This announcement was made after the very public announcement by the University of Pheonix offering Free Tuition for their MBA program.    

Sounds like a great deal doesn’t it? I took the time to read the details and have called and confirmed the information with the Bursars office [303-492-5381/[email protected]]    I have prepared a chart to highlight what this decsion translates into. My figures are approximate since the exact tuition has not been finalized. These figures do not include new student fees, course material costs and University Health Insurance of $3680.

   Fall 2016  [increase of 5%]                 In State         Out of State           Cost for first year/4 years required.           

Arts and Science                               $27,390.          $ 51,574      

 Music                                                  $27,717           $51,940     

College of media                                 $28,977           $53,150                                                                                        

Leeds School of Business                 $32,204           $54,730                                                                                       Engineering                                         $30,539           $54,448                                                                 

Fall of 2017 there will be a 5% increase for incoming students based on the tuition rates from 2016. Add 5% to the numbers above.

Fall of 2018 their will be another 4% increase for the incoming students on based on Fall 2017 tuition. 

Fall of 2019 there will another increase of 4% for incoming students based on Fall of 2018 tuition.

For each 4 year group their tuition will be the same each year, however if the student requires an additional year, the tuition will be based on the next groups rate, which would be a 4% or 5% increase.

This action is contrary to what other universities around the country are trying to do which is to make higher education more affordable.

“We believe this changes the conversation by shifting the burden of managing the risk of major swings in the economy to the university” announced CU Boulder Chancellor Philip P. Di Stefano.  

Over a four year period the unversity will increase tuition by 18%. This is taking place in an environment where graduating students from many areas of study are not able to find employment in their field of study and are not earning sufficent income to repay their student loans. The Elite will have No difficulty paying tuitions like this, probably just pocket change and bragging rights.

EXACTLY HOW IS THIS CHANGING THE CONVERSATION?    The point is that this is UNAFFORDABLE!!!                 Students can take advantage of COF, the College Opportunity Fund, which generously provides $75 per course.[Ha! Ha!] Maybe the student can win a Merit scholarship, another generous amount of $2000. Maybe the student can win a scholarship. There are many and the competition is stiff, and many do not cover 4 years. 

Most will have to apply for the FASFA and obtain some financing and then there are the work programs, with many students competing for a restricted number of positions.   

And people are mystified as to why the young are flocking to Bernie Sanders? Are we seeing the takeover of the universities by the Elite, relegating the remaing students to community colleges, indebted with student loans?I realize that this is active recruiting time and many universities are advertising on BIN, however this is an issue that needs to be addressed and highlighted, not stiffled.