College Admission Help

College Admission Help: College-bound Students Forced to Compromise to Save Money

By Victoria A.F. Camron
Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT — Christina Jackson wanted to attend an out-of-state university.
“I was really set on leaving home,” the 18-year-old said.
But when she sat down last fall to apply to Arizona State University and other schools, Jackson realized what her plans would cost.
Out-of-state tuition and fees were $17,952 for 2008-09 at Arizona State University in Tempe. Attending the University of Colorado’s college of arts and sciences this year cost state residents $7,278. Neither price included housing or a meal plan.
“It’s way too unaffordable to go right into a university,” said Jackson, a senior at Skyline High School.
Instead of staying home and attending the Boulder campus of Front Range Community College, though, Jackson compromised. She plans to attend Front Range in Fort Collins and live with a cousin.
“I think it’s an overall smarter decision, because I don’t want to be in a bunch of debt,” she said.
Living in Fort Collins will give her some independence from her parents and some university atmosphere.
“It’s a college town, and I wanted that experience,” Jackson said. “I thought it was the perfect combination. I feel that I’m making the best choice for myself.”
Local high school counselors are seeing many students like Jackson opt for community college over more expensive four-year schools.
“It’s just too much to pay $10,000 to live in a dorm,” said Julie Pohlman, a counselor at Erie High School.
Richard Schroeder, also a counselor at Erie, said, “Front Range Community College is quite a bit less expensive than most of the schools.”
Front Range costs about $3,000 a year, compared to $17,000 or $18,000 to attend CU or Colorado State University and live on campus, Schroeder said.
FRCC spokesman John Feeley could not say how many incoming freshmen the school expects. Registration for fall classes has not started.
“We suspect a lot of families are going to be looking more closely at us because of their own economic situations,” Feeley said.
Skyline students overwhelmingly attend in-state schools, counselor Erie Swan said. But students who looked at Princeton or schools in Chicago or California also have applied at the in-state universities, he said.
Applications at the CU are down almost 15 percent from 2008 levels, but that was an “off-the-charts” record year, CU spokesman Branson Hilliard said. So the university expected a decrease this year, he said.
The number of applications received this year is about the same as in 2007, which was then a record year, Hilliard said.
At CSU, applications from residents have increased 10 percent from last year.
Students have until May to decide which school they attend but can change their minds until school begins, Hilliard said.
“There’s a lot that can happen between now and May, and there’s a lot that can happen between May and August,” he said.
So university officials have concerns about how many student will show up in the fall.
“We are watching this very carefully. It’s a more complex situation than we’ve ever seen,” Hilliard said. “We’re cautious, but we’re optimistic.”


College Admission Help: College-bound Students Forced to Compromise to Save Money