I don’t know about you, but I remember the days of struggling through college. Taking out student loans and grants, and working my bum off to minimize the debt as much as possible. I didn’t have parents who could pay for more than books each semester, and that was pushing them to their limit. So I worked, and scrimped and saved. Many days of Ramen noodles, Taco Bell burritos and macaroni and cheese dinners.
I went to a mid-tier large university hat has a low tuition due to subsidies from an outside agency. This made college somewhat affordable. Now Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth and other institutions are taking family’s financial information into account not only for how much financial aid, but to determine how much tuition will be paid.
As I think about my students, and their family’s capability to pay $35K per year for an upper-tier university, even if the student could get accepted, I am convinced it won’t happen. Yet, now that universities take that into account, I can see pushing my students to go to these institutions, and they won’t graduate with a life-time of debt.
Princeton is now taking university experience to a whole new level with the Early Year Abroad. Before 1/10th of the Freshman class sets foot in New Jersey, many will be taking off for far off lands around the world to do social service projects, giving them experience abroad and a change of pace before college begins.
Dr. Tilghman [President of Princeton], speaking ahead of an announcement Tuesday, said that she hoped to begin the program in 2009 and that Princeton would not charge tuition for the year abroad, and would even offer financial assistance to those who needed it. A committee of faculty and staff members, as well as students, is to work out other details.
Oh am I jealous! What an advantage students will have. I think back to my job search within the area of international affairs, every position required significant experience living abroad. This opportunity not only helps students mature, but it gives perspective and experience that will be invaluable in later years.
