Two reports released recently provide disturbing insights about our nation's — and Texas' — colleges and universities.
The College Board, which administers the SAT and other entrance exams and tracks the costs of higher education, annually publishes "Trends in College Pricing " and "Trends in Student Aid," the latest of which were released last week.
Nationally, tuition and fees constitute one-third of the costs for public university in-state undergrads and about two-thirds of the price paid by a student in a private university.
On average, tuition and fees for all of the nation's four-year institutions rose 6.6 percent during 2007-08, more than double the nation's inflation rate.
In-state tuition at public four-year institutions averaged $6,185 during the 2007-08 academic year, or $381 more than in the previous year. Add room and board and the cost is up to $13,589, which is 5.9 percent more than in 2006-07.
Out-of-state students in public universities now have to cough up an average $16,640 just for tuition and fees, and $24,044 with room and board included. And those in private four-year universities are paying $23,712 for tuition and fees — $1,404 more than last year — for an overall cost of $32,307.
Tuition increases were less severe for students in public two-year colleges, where they average $2,361 — or 4.2 percent more than last year. And, in those schools, the average full-time student gets about $2,040 in grants and tax benefits, so net costs are greatly reduced.
"About three-quarters of full-time undergraduates received some form of financial aid," the College Board reports, which adds up to $97.1 billion.
"The two largest sources of aid to undergraduates are federal loans, which make up 40 percent of the total, and grants from colleges and universities, which comprises 21 percent," the CB reports.
Disturbingly, however, the College Board also reports that growing numbers of students — and parents — are borrowing less from low-rate federal sources and more from higher-rate private lenders.
"Private loans made up 24 percent of the total education loans, up from 6 percent a decade ago," the board reports. "Federal loans to undergraduates did not keep up with inflation in 2006-07 and their borrowing from private sources increased by 12 percent in inflation-adjusted dollars."
Despite an overall 5 percent increase in tuition and fees in Texas' community colleges, they remain much more affordable than in most other states. Only New Mexico's two-year schools charge lower tuition ($1,139) than the $1,695 charged, on average, by Texas' community colleges.
That's great.
But tuition and fees in the Lone Star State's public four-year universities — from which we hope our community college students will also graduate — are hardly the bargain they once were.
In Texas public universities, Texas students can expect to pay an average $6,437 in tuition and fees, or 4 percent more than the national average.
Aaron Pena is only after one thing: His retirement. He doesn't care about you or me or dist. 40. He needs that $50,000 a year plus insurance for his family.
Aaron Pena is a republican. Remember, he works for Eduardo Rodriguez which is a huge Republican donor. So, as long as Mr. Rodriguez keeps signing Aaron's checks. What is he suppose to do? He votes for whatever his boss says. And dist. 40 gets screwed.
Go figure!
