Marquette raises tuition 3.5 percent

[Badgerhater]

Posted today on JSOnline

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/marquette-to-raise-tuition-325--the-lowest-in-four-years-b99429906z1-289212151.html

[🏀]

Slowing down....

[GGGG]

Prudent move since the UW System is going into its third year of a tuition freeze. 

[jficke13]

This is nuts, tuition has gone up approximately $10k/yr from when I started undergrad in 2005. Unbelievable.

[mu_hilltopper]

Fantastic news!  Now their rate of increase is only TWICE that of annual inflation, not to mention TWICE the rate of starting salary increases for college grads.  Way to go guys.

At that rate, a child born today will pay a paltry $88k per year to go to MU when they are 18.  No problem!

[GGGG]

This is nuts, tuition has gone up approximately $10k/yr from when I started undergrad in 2005. Unbelievable.

Remember what's important is what the student (on average) pays.  Not the list price.

[jficke13]

Remember what's important is what the student (on average) pays.  Not the list price.

Then they better be giving out scholarships at a rate increasing at least as fast as the tuition increases or else the list price increases will still be increasing the "what the student pays" rate.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Remember what's important is what the student (on average) pays.  Not the list price.

You've posted this comment before. Do you really think that the price the student pays is not rising every year (significantly) as well?

[chapman]

Remember what's important is what the student (on average) pays.  Not the list price.

I'm surprised they don't make a greater effort to publicize this, other than the "99% receive financial aid" tidbit.  Had a discussion with co-workers about college costs recently, and they struggled to make the connection that a significant number pay well below the list price.

Certainly was a factor in my decision; tough to convince your family of the value when looking at UW as a comparison.  Then after a lot of work in figuring out the financing plan we get hit with the Ignatius as a nice surprise rather than an upfront decision driver.  How many don't bother to apply or give the school a serious look because of sticker shock?

[Galway Eagle]

It was 28 when I started this is getting absurd. 

[MUsoxfan]

It's gone up over 100% in 15 years.

And we thought the housing bubble burst was bad....

[GGGG]

Then they better be giving out scholarships at a rate increasing at least as fast as the tuition increases or else the list price increases will still be increasing the "what the student pays" rate.

Could be.  I don't know.  Remember that Marquette, along with many private schools, marks it up and then discounts it.  The end figure is the most important one.  I have no idea what that is BTW.  

The one thing I wish more private schools would do is give you a "lock-in price" for four years.

[jficke13]

I'm surprised they don't make a greater effort to publicize this, other than the "99% receive financial aid" tidbit.  

Does "financial aid" include federally backed (subsidized or unsubsidized) student loans? If so, that's not really aid but a potential anchor.

[GGGG]

You've posted this comment before. Do you really think that the price the student pays is not rising every year (significantly) as well?

I honestly don't know the answer.  I would guess yes and I would guess more than inflation.  But I would also guess that the "out of pocket" price has gone up at a lesser rate than the "list price."

I think many private schools use "list price" as a PR indicator of "quality."  For instance, if the school is listed at $25,000 per year, it doesn't look as good as if it is listed at $40,000 and the student gets a $15,000 Presidential Scholarship.

[Coleman]

Remember what's important is what the student (on average) pays.  Not the list price.

Unfortunately, actual cost has also gone up in a big way. A coworker's daughter just got accepted with a $10K Ignatius scholarship, which is exactly what I got when I was accepted in 2004.

[warriorchick]

I assume that all of y'all that are bitching about the cost of a Marquette education have donated generously to the endowment.  I also assume that none of you are among those that have proposed that Marquette needs to get all new dorms/build its own arena/buy back the medical school/purchase naming rights to the BC/restart the football team/have all classes taught by tenured professors.

[Coleman]

I assume that all of y'all that are bitching about the cost of a Marquette education have donated generously to the endowment.

We'd love to, but we're still writing student loan checks every month....

Want to play a fun game?

We both received bachelor's degrees from Marquette. I have give nothing financially to MU besides my tuition. I'm sure you are very generous as a donor, and I mean that sincerely. But I'd still wager I've put more $$$ in MU's pockets than you have....

If I'm wrong, then good on you for donating over 6 figures to MU. But you would be an exception, not be a typical alum.

MU can't honestly expect additional financial support from alumni they saddle with years of debt.

And I am in no way complaining. My debt is managable, and I don't regret my decision to attend MU. But it does change my decision whether to donate or not.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

Does "financial aid" include federally backed (subsidized or unsubsidized) student loans? If so, that's not really aid but a potential anchor.

That's exactly what it means.

[jficke13]

That's exactly what it means.

Then if MU wants to tout 99% receiving "financial aid" they are being disingenuous at best and actively deceptive at worst. All you need for a federally backed loan is a pulse.

[warriorchick]

Unfortunately, actual cost has also gone up in a big way. A coworker's daughter just got accepted with a $10K Ignatius scholarship, which is exactly what I got when I was accepted in 2004.

The Ignatius Scholarships can go up to $15K, I believe. My internet is acting funky and times out on Marquette's website, so I can't look it up.  I guess you can tell your co-worker that adjusted for inflation, Marquette just wanted you more.  

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I know there are a lot of factors in the tuition cost. (as sultan points out).

But, I also know that tuition cannot just grow infinitely.

If the demand for MU is insanely high (like if they had a waiting list 1 mile long), then go ahead and raise tuition and use it as a way to decrease some demand and raise some more capitol. Put more money in the endowment fund.

But, if they are just cranking up the tuition every year, and in-turn, just upgrading facilities over and over again... well... that's going to be a problem eventually.

You can have the best facilities in the world, but if nobody can afford to go there... the school is going to close. Obviously this is hyperbole, but you get the idea.

There are a lot of schools playing a "keep up with the jones'" game... and I'm afraid of what will happen if/when the bottom falls out.

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

I know there are a lot of factors in the tuition cost. (as sultan points out).

But, I also know that tuition cannot just grow infinitely.

If the demand for MU is insanely high (like if they had a waiting list 1 mile long), then go ahead and raise tuition and use it as a way to decrease some demand and raise some more capitol. Put more money in the endowment fund.

But, if they are just cranking up the tuition every year, and in-turn, just upgrading facilities over and over again... well... that's going to be a problem eventually.

You can have the best facilities in the world, but if nobody can afford to go there... the school is going to close. Obviously this is hyperbole, but you get the idea.

There are a lot of schools playing a "keep up with the jones'" game... and I'm afraid of what will happen if/when the bottom falls out.

I think a lot of the smaller or less well known schools are going to close. When they do, their better students will go to places like Marquette.

If federal student loans went away, I cannot even imagine the number of lower end schools that would dry up, or what Marquette would have to offer in tuition to get people to come.

[GGGG]

I know there are a lot of factors in the tuition cost. (as sultan points out).

But, I also know that tuition cannot just grow infinitely.

If the demand for MU is insanely high (like if they had a waiting list 1 mile long), then go ahead and raise tuition and use it as a way to decrease some demand and raise some more capitol. Put more money in the endowment fund.

But, if they are just cranking up the tuition every year, and in-turn, just upgrading facilities over and over again... well... that's going to be a problem eventually.

You can have the best facilities in the world, but if nobody can afford to go there... the school is going to close. Obviously this is hyperbole, but you get the idea.

There are a lot of schools playing a "keep up with the jones'" game... and I'm afraid of what will happen if/when the bottom falls out.

For example, what happens if the President's "free community college" get's approved?  Even if it is a "discounted community college" initiative, that could have an enormous impact on the four-year college market.

As I mentioned above, the UW System has frozen tuition for three years now and UIUC is freezing tuition next year.  Is the widening gap between private and publics going to be worth the cost in the general public's eyes?

[warriorchick]

We'd love to, but we're still writing student loan checks every month....

Want to play a fun game?

We both received bachelor's degrees from Marquette. I have give nothing financially to MU besides my tuition. I'm sure you are very generous as a donor, and I mean that sincerely. But I'd still wager I've put more $$$ in MU's pockets than you have....

If I'm wrong, then good on you for donating over 6 figures to MU. But you would be an exception, not be a typical alum.

MU can't honestly expect additional financial support from alumni they saddle with years of debt.

And I am in no way complaining. My debt is managable, and I don't regret my decision to attend MU. But it does change my decision whether to donate or not.

I had student loans coming out of Marquette as well.  And they were very stingy with the scholarships back then.  The only person I know for a fact got a merit scholarship during my time there had a 35 on his ACT, and the amount of the scholarship was nothing to write home about.

Here's what else I didn't have when I was at Marquette:

A counseling center
A tutoring center
An entire department of the Office of Residence Life devoted to helping students with private landlords
SSP vans (and drivers)
A sophisticated, high tech security system
Armed safety officers
An entire department devoted to helping students with their computer issues (because we didn't have computers)
An office of Mission and Ministry

These are just the things I came up with off the top of my head.  And I am not even counting the dozen or so buildings that have either been built, purchased, or completely renovated in the last 25 years.

I suppose if Marquette didn't have all these things, they wouldn't have to charge so much.  But would anyone want to go there?

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

I had student loans coming out of Marquette as well.  And they were very stingy with the scholarships back then.  The only person I know for a fact got a merit scholarship during my time there had a 35 on his ACT, and the amount of the scholarship was nothing to write home about.

Here's what else I didn't have when I was at Marquette:

A counseling center
A tutoring center
An entire department of the Office of Residence Life devoted to helping students with private landlords
SSP vans (and drivers)
A sophisticated, high tech security system
Armed safety officers
An entire department devoted to helping students with their computer issues (because we didn't have computers)
An office of Mission and Ministry

These are just the things I came up with off the top of my head.  And I am not even counting the dozen or so buildings that have either been built, purchased, or completely renovated in the last 25 years.

I suppose if Marquette didn't have all these things, they wouldn't have to charge so much.  But would anyone want to go there?

I don't want to nitpik, but each of those things are only compensating for some other problem with Marquette that has reduced it's value the last several decades. All the security going on? That's because the campus on on the edge of the ghetto. There are also approximately 5% as many bars and restaurants near campus as 30 years ago. It's not like the value proposition is that much higher today to justify triple digit percent tuition increases every decade or two (sans actual education, which varies by degree and department, I'm sure).

Edited: Let me take an actual example. The counseling center? Do you mean the "career" counseling center? Marquette and other institutions need to feign interest in students careers as the cost of education skyrockets. I can tell you that between my undergrad in A&S and my grad in COB, all of the career "counseling" did squat to find me a job. So I'm not sure where the benefit of this is coming in.