While some University students have never had reason to look at their tuition bill, since their scholarships-or more likely, their parents-take care of everything, others feel the sense of worry that comes while clicking “Account Summary By Term” on the My.Hofstra.edu Portal as the fall semester looms. With the new school year on the horizon comes another tuition hike to drive students relying on loans into deeper debt.
Members of this year’s graduating class would have found that tuition has shot up $1,900 since last spring to $24,100, an 8.5 percent increase. Such a finding should not come as a surprise, however, as tuition increased 8.3 percent the year prior and 7.8 percent before that. For students who enrolled at the University in the fall of 2004, tuition has risen $5,090 since then.
Students who entered the University a year later have it even worse. They are charged $1,600 more. If they are in New College, add $1,000, for a total of $26,700.
Mind you that these statistics don’t include the student activity fee, health center fee, university fee, technology fee, special course fees and textbooks. For residents, the rising cost of living and on-campus dining is another reason for the stomach to turn when wondering how one will pay back those student loans.
If tuition increases continue at 8.5 percent annually, the class of 2011 will be facing a bill of $32,826 senior year. For those on the five-year plan, expect to pay $35,617.
It is commonplace for swells in the cost of higher education to outpace inflation, but The University is even outpacing the national average for tuition increases at four-year private institutions.
The scholarships that had been a great incentive to choose Hofstra over other universities back in high school have significantly dropped in value. Scholarships that once covered significantly more than half of tuition now fall short of the 50 percent mark.
The University will readily take away academic scholarships when one’s grade point average drops. When students consistently have an impressive G.P.A., or even get better with time, their scholarship rewards do not reflect that.
If the University wants to retain and attract new students, it would be wiser to curb tuition costs rather than blow money on renovations most current students dislike.