Tulsa World: Demand for college aid up as finances tighten

MAKE US YOUR HOMEPAGE | Tuesday, February 09, 2010 | WIRELESS

Home > News > Article

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Demand for college aid up as finances tighten
Schools see increases in applications for all sorts of financial help.

By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Published: 11/30/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 11/30/2009 4:27 AM

More than two decades ago, Resha Davis had to quit Oklahoma State University after her freshman year. Now she's back in the classroom at Langston University-Tulsa and nothing, not even the recession, is going to stop her from getting her diploma.

"The reason I stopped going to college was because of finances. My mother couldn't afford it," Davis said.

"Now that I'm older, I'm more focused. I enjoy it more. It's something I'm committed to doing."

Davis is paying her own way through school, six hours per semester, working toward a bachelor's degree in sociology.

A tuition freeze at all Oklahoma public colleges and universities is helping, and Davis should get her degree in about a year and half.

But she'd like to finish faster.

"I have a certain amount budgeted for school," said Davis, who works full time at Hewlett Packard and is raising her son, 14, and daughter, 8, on her own. "If I could afford it I would take 12 hours a semester."

More college students and their families are feeling a financial pinch and are looking for ways to pay for school — even with the freeze on tuition and student fees that was announced for the 2009-10 school year.

Applications for scholarships and tuition waivers have increased at almost every school, officials said.

"Parents either lost a job or had hours reduced," said Charlie Bruce, OSU's senior director of scholarships and financial aid. Applications for aid are up 17 percent at OSU and those seeking increases have doubled.

Matt Hamilton, the associate vice president of enrollment and student financial services at OU, said financial aid applications there were up 14 percent and tuition waivers requests increased by 10 percent.

"When you look at us holding our costs and our financial aid going up, that represents what our students needed," he said.

Enrollment at colleges is up during this recession as people who lose jobs look for additional training or seek a new career path.

Tulsa Community College has seen its enrollment increase, giving it the largest freshman class of all state colleges this fall.

"Us being a two-year college, affordability is important," TCC President Tom McKeon said.

The freshman class grew by 700 students from last year's class, and only 100 of them used the Tulsa Achieves program, which pays up to all of the tuition for Tulsa County students, he said.

"I think we're seeing people look at community colleges as a viable option for the first two years because of its affordability," he said.

Tulsa's private colleges, Oral Roberts University and the University of Tulsa, both raised tuition this year. ORU's tuition and fees increased by 4 percent. Freshman tuition at TU went up by 12 percent and returning students incurred a 5 percent increase, although fees did not rise.

ORU's tuition increase was lower than the average increase of 5 percent in previous years, said Nancy Brainard, the school's vice president of enrollment management.

"Our understanding of our students and their families is affordability is their primary consideration," she said, noting that more students applied for tuition assistance this year. "There was a greater need for scholarships and financial aid. It was a greater factor in whether to attend or not."

OSU's Bruce said people shouldn't let the economy deter them from college.

"The programs are out there to help families," he said. "We really will do everything we can to bring the pieces together so they can afford to come to Stillwater."

Davis said the cost of tuition and fees can be discouraging, but things have changed since she left OSU more than 23 years ago.

"They can cater to all situations and circumstances, it you're willing to look for it," she said. "The fees are intimidating, but there are ways. The cost of college shouldn't be a factor in getting a higher education."

Current costs

2009-10 tuition and fees based on an in-state resident taking 30 credit hours a year

Tulsa Community College: $2,715

Oklahoma State University: $6,800

University of Oklahoma: $7,423

Oral Roberts University: $18,476

University of Tulsa: $26,722

Percentage of students who receive scholarship or financial aid assistance

TCC .............more than 50%
OSU....................... 83%
OU ....................... 70%
ORU .............. nearly 100%
TU........................ 88%

Sara Plummer 581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com By SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

8 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

	Report Comment wk, (11/30/2009 8:09:22 AM) Students should not go into debt for education. Its like everything else, if you can't afford it now, you probably can't afford it later. These university hucksters are just like everyone else, always selling something (with that no down, easy financing) that keeps them in business and a job when you can't afford it.
	Report Comment Few Clothes, America (11/30/2009 12:44:36 PM) I'm curious why Ms. Davis didn't attempt to work part time and utilize student loans to attain her degree 20 years ago. Nevertheless, congratulations for your efforts.
	Report Comment pirate, Mannford (11/30/2009 1:00:07 PM) wk - it basically cost $4k per semester to go to college. Kids out of high school don't have that kind of money and to get a job that makes enough to spend that kind of money you need a college degree and a full time job. My kids are going to college on college loans that I am paying for. Loans are the only way that I can do it as a single mother.
	Report Comment wk, (11/30/2009 3:20:21 PM) Pirate - They're your kids so do as you like and best of luck. Don't get me wrong, I am all for education. It's just that costs have been driven up to ridiculous levels and the product hasn't gotten any better for the most part. I just don't see any problem with kids working part-time, taking fewer hours and working their way through the battle. I see too many kids with too much debt and little or no useable skills and they have to have huge starting salaries just to pay loans and live. They dig a deeper hole and the next thing you know, they need to file bankruptcy to clean up all of their credit card problems that actually stem from the student loans (and irresponsible spending during college). Plus, most of my wealthiest friends oddly enough never got college degrees - it cost too much. They are just really hard workers who know how to save money.
	Report Comment 07mom09, (11/30/2009 4:28:46 PM) While our daughters were in high school, we repeatedly told them that we would help them go to college but we would not pay for it. That they needed to do the work in high school that would make them attractive to colleges. In 2008, we started the college visit process with our youngest. She ended up at a regional university in Arkansas. Arkansas considers Oklahoma border counties as in state. She really wanted to attend an Oklahoma school, but SHE could not afford them. I want to encourage parents to check out Arkansas regional universities. They have very generous scholarships. My daughter will be able to graduate with a bachelors degree debt free. This will give her a little financial breathing room if she decides to get a master's degree after graduation. We always told our daughters that there were ways to go to college. It might not be the way you want to go, but you can go. Our oldest also graduated debt free. Both girls recieved a variety of scholarships and worked. (We do not qualify for financial aid.) I know it sounds strange, but I would encourage people to shop around for the best educational "deal".
	Report Comment Elusive, Owasso (11/30/2009 11:55:49 PM) People need to know they can't file bankruptcy on student loans. The only way out of them is if you become permanently disabled and a doctor fills out a form to send to the lender. Oklahoma has two good programs, in Tulsa they can take college courses in high school then attend TCC for free but they have to attend a Tulsa High School. On the other hand start a college savings plan early knowing how high it is when the child is young you can only imagine how much higher it will be when the graduate from high school.
	Report Comment lightenup, (12/1/2009 9:53:03 AM) The Two great programs which Tulsa Community College has are the ACE (Attend College Early)program for high school seniors and Tulsa Achieves program for Tulsa county residents graduating with a highschool diploma and a 2.0 cumulative highschool g.p.a. The key to Tulsa Achieves is to be a Tulsa county resident, graduate from a public, private or home school with a 2.0 g.p.a. and TCC ensures 63 credit hours of college credit which must be completed in three years. By far the greatest access program to higher education in the world! The ACE program covers the cost of tuition for high school seniors and the student pays the fees for the college courses while being concurrently enrolled in their high school curriculum. . Both programs are money savers for families.
	Report Comment Elusive, the burbs (12/2/2009 2:53:28 AM) Good post lightenup

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.