Private vs. Public Universities: Comparing Tuition, Academics, and Admissions, Lecture notes of Technology

Download Private vs. Public Universities: Comparing Tuition, Academics, and Admissions and more Lecture notes Technology in PDF only on Docsity! Private or Independent Colleges and Universities Making the case for a non-public school higher education… Distinguishing Qualities  More to choose from in California: – 23 CSU’s – 10 UC’s – 76+ Independents  Some are highly selective (Harvard, Stanford) – some are not as selective.  The tuition at private schools is markedly greater compared to public universities; a major reason for this is that private institutions are not supported by stating funding. The upside to not being funded by the government is that these colleges have the ability to provide much more variety in terms of academic offerings, admissions policies and campus life.  Many students believe they cannot afford an education at a private college, but they often receive financial aid packages that compare favorably with those from public colleges.  Applying to a private college is usually much more involved than applying to a public college; there are usually more components and deadlines to pay attention to.  Personal note… I’m a big private college advocate! Don’t rule them out! To Name a Few… There are 1,600 private colleges and universities nationwide  California Institute of Technology (Caltech) – Pasadena, CA  Yale – New Haven, CT  Princeton – Princeton, NJ  Rice – Houston, TX  Pepperdine – Malibu, CA  Baylor – Waco, TX  New York University – New York, NY  Loyola College – Baltimore, MD  Gonzaga – Spokane, WA  University of Miami – Coral Gables, FL  Millsaps College – Jackson, MS  College of Wooster – Wooster, OH  Ripon College – Ripon, WI  Carnegie Mellon – Pittsburgh, PA  Marquette – Milwaukee, WI  Sarah Lawrence – Westchester County, NY  Oberlin College – Oberlin, OH  Duke – Durham, NC  Dartmouth College – Hanover, NH  Northwestern – Evanston, IL  Vanderbilt – Nashville, TN  University of Southern California (USC) – Los Angeles, CA  Spelman College – Atlanta, GA Varied Types as reported on www.naicu.edu There are an array of private institutions in the U.S. including liberal arts colleges, major research universities, comprehensive universities, church- and faith-related institutions, historically black colleges and universities, single-sex institutions, two-year colleges, and schools of law, medicine, engineering, art, business, and other professions. Admissions Criteria as reported on www.californiacolleges.com  Nonprofit, independent colleges and universities establish their own admission criteria and application procedures.  Many have their own admission application, and most of them offer online applications. Several independent colleges accept the "Common Application.” If the schools to which you are applying accept the Common Application, be sure to check with them directly to determine if there are additional application requirements.  Because nonprofit, independent colleges and universities are not government funded, it is important that students wishing to apply contact the colleges and universities of interest to determine specific requirements and deadlines. Go directly to the college or university website.  Each nonprofit, independent college or university sets it own application deadlines. If you know the deadline for one independent college, do not assume that other colleges and universities use the same deadline.  Some independent colleges and universities have an early-decision application deadline, as well as a regular application deadline. Be sure you know the different deadlines and the different criteria used to evaluate applicants under early-decision and regular application programs. Most colleges and universities with early- decision programs require you to withdraw your applications from other colleges if you are admitted under their early decision program. If you do apply for early decision, only apply to your top choice school.  Handout Cost as reported on www.naicu.edu & www.californiacolleges.edu  How much is tuition? The average list price for tuition and fees at private institutions is $23,712 for 2007-08. When grants and tax benefits are taken into account, the average out-of-pocket cost (net price) falls to $14,400. The average price of tuition and fees increased 6.3 percent in 2007-08.  How much financial aid do students receive? Eighty-six percent of students attending private colleges receive some form of aid (grants, loans, work-study, or tax benefits). The average annual aid package is $17,000. Eighty- one percent receive grant aid, worth an average of $10,100 a year. Private colleges have increased institutionally provided aid by more than twice as much as tuition over the last decade -- 197 percent vs. 86 percent. Over the past year, student grant money has increased 8 percent. Two-thirds of grants given by private colleges and universities are need-based.  Additional expenses (estimates):  Books and supplies –$1728 per year  Room and Board - $9640 per year  Miscellaneous/personal expenses - $3125 per year Choosing a College That’s Right For YOU as reported on www.npr.org  Start with who you are and why you are going. Examine yourself and your reasons for going to college before you start your search. Why, really, are you going? What are your abilities and strengths? What are your weaknesses? What do you want out of life — something tangible or intangible? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need warm, familial support? Talk with your family, friends and high-school counselors as you ask these questions. The people who know you best can help you the most with these important issues.  Your college does not have to be bigger than your high school. Most good liberal arts colleges have a population of fewer than 4,000 for a reason; college is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of people, but the people themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. Many large universities have established "honors colleges" within the larger university for these same reasons.  A name-brand college will not guarantee your success. You will find that success in life has less to do with the choice of college than with the experiences and opportunities encountered while in college, coupled with personal qualities and traits. Employers and graduate schools are looking for outstanding skills and experience, not college pedigree. As you search for colleges, ask about student outcomes; you will find many colleges that outperform the Ivies and "name brands," even though you may have never heard of them! Choosing continued…  You don't need to pick a major to pick a college. Very few high-school students have enough information or experience to choose a major. You need the variety and depth of college coursework to determine your interest and aptitude.  Don't be scared by the stories. If you only pay attention to the headlines, you might start to believe that "no one is getting in anywhere!" The truth is that the majority of the colleges and universities in this country admit more students than they reject. If you're worried about your chances of getting admitted — and you're willing to investigate beyond the very narrow band of highly selective colleges — you'll find that you have many options that will lead to a great fit for you. Be informed about your academic profile and compare it to the profile of the most recently admitted and enrolled class for the colleges you are investigating. Check the college admission website for this information and contact them if you can't find it. Ask your high- school counselor for additional advice and guidance as it applies to your school.  You can afford to go to college. If you make the assumption that you cannot afford college based on the "sticker price" of tuition, you will miss out. It is difficult to talk about money, but if you investigate all the options and ask for help and advice, you will find affordable choices. Online resources, as well as financial aid workshops sponsored by high schools in local communities, are widely available to get you started. College and university financial aid Web sites offer useful information and links as well. Investigate early and ask for help. This Summer… from www.petersons.com  Visit Colleges. Visit the campuses of your top five college choices. Take a tour and speak with the admissions and financial aid staff. You may also be able to talk to students if some classes are in session. If you have an interview, be sure to send a thank-you letter to the interviewer once you return home.  Get Advice From Other College Students. If you have friends or relatives in college, talk to them about what college life is like, especially if they attend a school you’re interested in. Although it’s important to hear what the admissions staff has to say about a school, it’s also important to get the students’ perspective.  Organize Your Financial Aid Information. Develop a plan that includes a list of the aid sources, requirements for each application, and a timetable for meeting the filing deadlines. Getting organized will make the process of applying a lot easier because you’ll know where to find important information.  Start Working On Your Application Essays. Compose rough drafts of the essays you’ll need for your college applications. Have a teacher read and discuss them with you so you can see what to work on. Make any revisions to your essays and prepare final drafts. Don’t forget to proofread your final essays a few times. Some Local Private Colleges  University of La Verne  Chapman University  University of Redlands  Claremont Colleges: – Scripps – Harvey Mudd – Pomona – Claremont McKenna – Pitzer  La Sierra University  Azusa Pacific University  Whittier College  California Baptist University  Biola University Questions?