US Ed Dept College Affordability Index: Using It To Make College Choice
Guest Blogger: Amanda Watson
The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday that it has updated several lists on its College Affordability and Transparency Center site. This update comes at a time when most college-bound students have already made their decision on where they will attend this fall, but for those who are just getting started on college applications, the updated information may help narrow down some choices.
The new list on the College Affordability and Transparency Center website contains tuition costs for1, 878 accredited institutions (nonprofit and for-profit). The site also features lists of schools with the highest and lowest tuition prices, and schools where prices are increasing the fastest (along with explanations why prices were increased).
In addition to tuition costs, students and parents can also compare schools in regards to majors offered, campus size and safety and graduation rates.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said this update will help students figure out how much college will cost them before they get their first student loan bill after graduation.
The reason all of this information is being updated is because it is required by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, and last year a lot of consumers were requesting more in-depth information and comparisons. The Obama Administration also says it has made it a top priority to make the costs of college more transparent to students and their families.
The question we all must ask, though, is will these lists really make it any easier for students to pay for college? For one thing, even if you do choose to attend a school with a lower than average tuition rate, you can’t be certain if that rate will remain constant throughout your four years of undergrad.
Even more important, these lists could deter students from applying to top universities for fear that they cannot afford it.
Although the Department of Education means well, students and families need to remember that choosing where to go to college is about way more than just the cost of tuition. In defense of the Affordability and Transparency Center site, they do give users the opportunity to compare schools in terms of available major programs and size, too.
The point that is trying to be made here is that tuition rates should not serve as the be-all, end-all when choosing where to go to college. In fact, the most important factor to consider when choosing a college is- drum roll, please- academics.
It doesn’t matter how cheap a school costs, if the academics aren’t at a level you expect, you are wasting your money and killing your college dreams. However, if attending a top-rated school isn’t the most important thing on your list, you still need to keep in mind that it is always best to choose a school with good accreditation, especially in your major program of interest.
On top of academics, you should also consider the difference between attending an in-state school versus an out-of-state school. Is it worth the increase in cost to attend an out-of-state school? Are you comfortable with being far away from your family and your home?
Then you have to consider available scholarships and programs of study, extracurricular activities, teacher to student ratio…and the list goes on.
Although everyone may tell you so, college is not the obvious stepping stone after high school. It is a serious decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. And tuition rates should never stop you from pursuing a dream. If it means applying for hundreds of scholarships and keeping a part-time job, apply to the school that you know is the best choice for you, regardless of cost.
An experienced writer on all things related to higher education and business, Amanda Watson spends her days covering the latest stories on various topics such as online MBA rankings, web entrepreneurship and social media marketing. You can contact Amanda at watsonamanda.48@gmail.com.
