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Thursday, May 3, 2007
State Tuition: Bargain Or Backbreaker?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuition at state colleges and universities is going up again next school year. At UGA, Georgia Tech and other so-called research institutions, incoming freshmen will pay about $4,500 for tuition — a 15.5 percent increase over this year’s annual charge.
Students at regional universities will pay close to $2,900 per year, a 12 percent hike over the current rate. Other campuses will raise prices, too.
The good news: For freshmen, the price will be “locked in” for four years as part of Georgia’s new “fixed for four” tuition program, which is supposed to give parents and students more predictability in planning for college expenses.
According to Andrea Jones’ story today, annual tuition increases for state schools averaged about 6 percent in the past. So, even with the increase, under the fixed plan the new tuition rates could actually end up being a bit of bargain.
Some have already started griping about the price hike, saying it’s becoming more difficult to put kids through college. But tuition at public colleges and universities still is only a fraction of the cost at private institutions.
Anyone want to guess what next year’s tuition at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta will be?
Oh, all right, I’ll tell you: $12,121.
