Trends in College Pricing and Aid, 2023

As the 2023-2024 academic year enters the final push following spring break, parents are finalizing funding plans for the first year of college. The College Board conducted research and provides data in their latest report: "Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid, 2023."

While the report is data heavy and includes very nuanced data related to income and inequity, there is a glaring detail parents should take note of: enrollment is declining. Why does this matter?

According to the report, between fall 2019 and fall 2021, enrollment declined 5 percent (about 947,900 students). Most of this is due to COVID and we have not seen the recent data, but I would hedge a bet, most campuses have not fully recovered to pre-pandemic enrollment levels. As such, the availability of federal aid, institutional (merit & needs) funding, grants and loan packages will also decline.

Additionally, with many community colleges offering dual-credit or dual-enrollment programs, the K-12 school district is paying the costs, resulting in a change of source, but not necessarily the number of students serviced by the institution. The pot of money used to assist needs-based students has been relocated to some state sources, shifted to schools with larger direct-admit or some schools are offering special programs for in-district "free" tuition when certain criteria are met.

For parents, this means tuition may increase to offset declines in funding sources. The report indicates in the 2022-2023 academic year, tuition increased anywhere from 2 percent to 4.5 percent depending on public/private institution or two-year/four-year program. Once the 2023-2024 data is released, I'll post the report here.

Finally, the report does not directly address the direct-admit offer many state-schools have implemented to the top 5 percent and 10 percent of in-state graduating classes. These public, state schools automatically admit students who meet the criteria in hopes of increasing the size of the incoming freshman class. In turn, the larger class size may increase federal funding provided to the school to offset institutional aid. The down side to guaranteed admission is a less competitive process also means fewer spots for everyone else. For less populated, more rural states, this may not be a big deal. However, for larger school systems in heavily populated states where students wish to save money by living at home, the available aid will decrease. Additionally, the prospect of receiving larger aid packages as an out-of-state student are also decreasing.

I encourage everyone to review the report from College Board and investigate how the findings may impact your personal situation. With the delayed FAFSA and schools also adjusting their merit and needs-based aid packages, this year will be one to set the financial baseline for classes beginning in fall 2025. Stay tuned!

Academic Rigor and Why It's Important

Hey Parents...this one is for you! As we get ready to take a well-deserved break from the hustle and bustle, consider the academic rigor of your current program as well as future college courses.

What is academic rigor?

From a college instructor, rigor refers to a more investigative approach in the classroom that fosters deeper forms of learning. The learning fosters critical thinking, a skill required for academic and workplace success. Academic rigor, when done well, fosters questioning, understanding, debate of nuance and analysis of topics, issues and even theories.

How do I know if my student is challenged academically?

Tough question for sure, but it gets to a common misconception of what academic rigor is... or in this case, is not, Academic rigor is not additional homework or longer papers. Instead, the course may introduce students to more challenging content, but that is not all. The instruction and note-taking may be above average for a similar course that may not have the International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP) or dual-enrolled (college credit) credential. However, if the instructor does not encourage students to master the content on a deeper level and perhaps question the premises, the higher level of thought is not achieved. It's just a box that is checked on the transcript.

Parents will know if students are being challenged and reaching the deeper levels of understanding when the conversations switches from "what I memorized," to "how I will use this," or "how I don't agree" with this concept.

Why does academic rigor matter?

You may not think academic rigor matters in high school. I would encourage you to read the recent article in EducationWeek by Elizabeth Heubeck. Many high school students are not academically prepared for college. While there are lots of factors contributing to lack of academic preparation, from COVID-19 to changing requirements for standardized tests, ultimately, the blame lies in our education system. I will save a deeper discussion on this topic for a future blog post, but suffice it to say that teachers in AP courses are held to different standards than their counterparts teaching dual-enrollment courses - yet, both courses likely receive the same transfer credit to the same college.

So, parents as you are assisting your high school students with their upcoming schedules, talk to other parents and the counselor. Ask the following:

• How rigorous is the course?

• What is the academic background of the teacher? Do they have a completed Masters degree in the subject matter?

• Does the teacher attend conferences or participate in community learning on the topic? Is there Continuing Ed credit offered for the teacher?

• Can I review the course syllabus? What textbook is used?

• If an AP course, what is the average score most students earn? Review previous AP Scores here.

What can I do if my high school does not offer courses with academic rigor?

There are lots of options for parents with high-performing students. First, summer camps or college bridge programs in the community may provide the additional academic challenge your student seeks. Check out my linked posts with summer programs in the northwest Indiana/southwest Michigan region. Another option is to seek out online educational programs. Due to COVID-19, lots of high quality online learning options expanded their reach and curriculum. There are lots of educational advantages to these programs, like networking and expanding connections to higher education programs across the country.

Ultimately, parents, you know your kids. You know if they are being challenged or if they need additional help in some areas. If you are not fully aware, a quick call to the school counselor and a chat with your son or daughter will provide some insight. We all want what is best for our kids and remember, this is not a one-size-fits-all society. What works for one student may not work for another!

Make the Most of your College Visit

Spring break 2024 is upon us! For juniors and seniors with acceptance letters, college visits are a great way to find the best fit for your academic journey.

Here are some tips to make the most of your college visits. First, start planning early. If you have not already contacted admissions offices to schedule a visit, do so immediately. Many colleges are on spring break in March and early April. Thanks to STS Travel for providing spring dates for many colleges. Be sure to add the dining hall, library, writing center, and specific academic programs to your itinerary. Add a tour of the residence halls and a student clinic (if available) where most freshmen will congregate and may need to use during the first year. Any tours and informational sessions will be broad so write questions ahead of time to ask during a Q & A session.

Second, schedule appointments to meet with faculty, current students and, if an athlete, be sure to meet with a coach and athletic director (or assistant). These people will be integral to your academic success and asking questions will help you evaluate fit for your personal needs is imperative. If you have a good feeling about faculty mentorship or do not feel positive about the coach, both may help you decide if the college is right for you. I recommend stopping by the student union or student life office as well. Is there visible student leadership through clubs or Greek life? What about intramural activities or options for social interaction? Based on personal preference, these things may be more or less important, but you do need to see if they fit your needs.

Next, explore the local cities and amenities. If the school is in a rural location, make a note of nearest medical facility, grocery store or other retail options for future needs. Where is the nearest airport and will you have trasportation to/from? What about uBer/Lyft or other means to assist if a car will not be readily available. Be sure to review the school's Clery Act Report. The Clery Act helps families understand the safety and response by the university to incidents impacting the student body. It is a federal requirement to maintain and disclose campus crime statistics and security information.

Finally, consider staying overnight in the area. Perhaps spend one day on campus, then, stay in town or nearby to visit the campus in the morning. This will help you determine if living off-campus later on will be an option. Is there public transportation to/from campus? What about traffic or cost of living? If attending a school in a weather-prone area, are there emergency routes to avoid a hurricane or what about heavy snowfall? Does the home-city have equipment and infrastructure to handle large influxes of people (NCAA sports, I am looking at you) or to respond to weather anomalies described above? This may also be a good time to drive around and see how safe the local town is...are their "good" areas and/or "bad" areas?

Ultimately, college visits are opportunities for families to explore options. Be sure to take photos and good notes to review and reflect upon later. Use your notes to compare other schools and if you are being recruited for an academic program or sport, be sure to write a thank you note after the visit. Etiquette is key to receiving admission or scholarship money...which may sway your final choice.