Tuition still going up at universities nationwide

It’s no secret that college is getting more and more expensive. \nAccording to an annual report released Monday by the College Board, makers of the SAT, college tuition across the country is rising much faster than inflation. On average, tuition rose about 6.6 percent at four-year public colleges and universities, the report said. IU’s tuition rose by about 5.1 percent for in-state students and 9.2 percent for out-of-state students this year, and it will continue to increase next year.\n“The increasing price of tuition makes it more difficult for everyone to go to college,” said Indiana Commission on Higher Education Associate Commissioner Bernie Hannon. “It’s disturbing that the tuition increases are going up faster than federal aid.”\nThe 6.6 percent average tuition increase for four-year public universities made the average tuition $6,185 this year, according to the College Board report, up $381 from last year. Next year, IU’s out-of-state student tuition will go up a staggering 11.3 percent, while in-state tuition will rise 5.3 percent, according to a May 24 Indiana Daily Student article. \nIn the last 10 years, according to the IU Fact Book, tuition for out-of-state students has more than doubled from about $4,480 per semester in the 1996-97 school year to about $9,800 per semester last year. In the same period, tuition for in-state students has multiplied by more than five times, going from $1,491 per semester to $7,460.\nAnd at the same time, federal aid is covering less tuition than ever before. Hannon said federal Pell grants, awarded based on need, covered a “huge portion” of tuition in 1970, but now meet just a fraction of many students’ needs.\n“When you talk about the net cost of a tuition, what the student really pays, that number has gone way up,” Hannon said. \nHe also noted that more students are being forced to take out loans from private companies.\n“There is a huge pressure on students,” said Indiana Commission on Higher Education Commissioner Stan Jones. “Borrowing has tripled in the last 10 years, and more people are borrowing than ever, and the deals you can get from a private company are not anywhere near the bargain that something like a (federal) Stafford Loan can give you.”\nAccording to the IU Fact Book, students took out a total of $486,127,920 in loans for the 2006-07 school year, up more than $50 million from the previous year’s total.\n“I get financial aid, but it doesn’t cover everything, so I’m lucky that I’m almost done,” said senior Larry Fuller. “But for people who are just starting college, I’m sure some won’t be able to pay for their schooling if the cost just keeps going up.”