40% Tuition Increase Mid-Program

[ANonOhMouse]

Hello all,

I recently completed my first year at a Midwestern state school. We heard rumors of tuition increase at the end of Spring semester, and recently got the bill and official notice of the tuition increase. Tuition has gone up by 40%. Anyone ever heard of this big of a tuition increase? People are not happy - obviously we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our class board met with the dean, nothing was resolved other than the suggestion of us receiving some type of "scholarship". That discussion was over 2 months ago before we knew exactly how much tuition would go up and he has not provided any further information regarding it.

Any thoughts on what to do? Just suck it up? I would understand a small yearly tuition increase, but 42% seems ridiculous. In complete disclosure, the school I attend did have relatively cheap tuition compared to other schools, but that is the main reason a number of students chose this program -- it's not exactly known for it's great academic program.

Thanks for any responses.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Azimuthal]

That's BS. I know that in my state, the program tuition fees you begin with usually stick through the entire program, as a courtesy. Not a guarantee per program catalog. But 40% is steep and if your state did that, there may be underlying issues. I'd ask why.

 

[PT2Bee]

our tuition increases 3-4% per year and we all nearly have heart attacks, cant imagine 40!!! That puts your state school most likely in private school expense territory. Would not be happy at all.

 

[engmedpt]

Hello all,

I recently completed my first year at a Midwestern state school. We heard rumors of tuition increase at the end of Spring semester, and recently got the bill and official notice of the tuition increase. Tuition has gone up by 40%. Anyone ever heard of this big of a tuition increase? People are not happy - obviously we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. Our class board met with the dean, nothing was resolved other than the suggestion of us receiving some type of "scholarship". That discussion was over 2 months ago before we knew exactly how much tuition would go up and he has not provided any further information regarding it.

Any thoughts on what to do? Just suck it up? I would understand a small yearly tuition increase, but 42% seems ridiculous. In complete disclosure, the school I attend did have relatively cheap tuition compared to other schools, but that is the main reason a number of students chose this program -- it's not exactly known for it's great academic program.

Thanks for any responses.

That's unbelievably abusive. This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. What is the reason?.............they better be able to provide reasoning when youre literally already locked into the program like that.

 

[starrsgirl]

Insane. Absolutely out of control. I would raise hell and see what happens. How does the current tuition now compare to other state schools?

 

[ANonOhMouse]

That's unbelievably abusive. This makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. What is the reason?.............they better be able to provide reasoning when youre literally already locked into the program like that.

Their stated reasoning is that other programs charge differential tuition "for programs where instruction is very expensive and/or where student demand is particularly is high." During the meeting with the dean, he stated the 10% is going toward the university, 10% to the college of applied health, and 80% to pay for a new professor, equipment repair, tables, and a simulation lab. I still can't comprehend how they can just do that to us mid-program. What's stopping them from increasing another 40% next year?

 

[engmedpt]

This is like legal indentured servitude. They know you're held at gunpoint to take the government loans and have no choice.

The first thing you stated shows that they're charging just for the hell of it. The people running things at my school are at least aware of how bad charging tuition is at other schools and they actively talk about trying to keep the tuition manageable.

Does the new professor produce research at all?

 

[engmedpt]

Even if it is going towards a new professor, the extra percentages are arbitrary.

The loans are unsubsidized, accruing interest in school....the department of ed is pulling profits off of students from day 1....do these people know how screwed and immoral this is to students?

 

[AlanWattsBlues]

Their stated reasoning is that other programs charge differential tuition "for programs where instruction is very expensive and/or where student demand is particularly is high." During the meeting with the dean, he stated the 10% is going toward the university, 10% to the college of applied health, and 80% to pay for a new professor, equipment repair, tables, and a simulation lab. I still can't comprehend how they can just do that to us mid-program. What's stopping them from increasing another 40% next year?

Dang. When I first read your post I thought it had to be a university wide thing...Our program (large state school) really doesn't have any control over the tuition, we just pay the standard rate for graduate coursework.

I"m guessing that the new professor, new tables, repaired equipment and simulation lab (simulating what exactly?) will all finally get up and running when you're on clinicals and therefore get no benefit from it. Ouch.

 

[engmedpt]

^Ya. I thought this massive tuition hike was at private schools and for profits only while in state tuition was based on state legislature and tax payer funding. I had no idea a state school would arbitrarily raise tuition and drop the bill on students while the fed is pulling a profit off of them while in school.

 

[ANonOhMouse]

This is actually legal indentured servitude of a generation trying to break in. They know you're held at gunpoint to take the government loans and have no choice. It's the equivalent of a 20 yr old devising a forced way to pull from an older person's lifetime earnings at a higher percentage every year for no reason.

The first thing you stated shows that they're charging just for the hell of it.

Does the new professor produce research at all?

We haven't been made aware of any hirings, just that interviews have taken place over the summer for a new professor.

 

[ANonOhMouse]

Dang. When I first read your post I thought it had to be a university wide thing...Our program (large state school) really doesn't have any control over the tuition, we just pay the standard rate for graduate coursework.

I"m guessing that the new professor, new tables, repaired equipment and simulation lab (simulating what exactly?) will all finally get up and running when you're on clinicals and therefore get no benefit from it. Ouch.

This is definitely true. I doubt we see any benefit from the tuition hike. I could understand even a 10% increase, but 42% is just excessive. Myself and a few classmates have contacted our state Senator as well, not sure if he'd be able to help but I guess we'll see.

 

[engmedpt]

http://bulletin.represent.us/the-big-money-behind-the-ongoing-student-loan-disaster

^This recently came out. I wonder if ppl doing tuition adjustments see this

 

[engmedpt]

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox..._bush_administration_pointlessly_screwed.html

If politicians could actually fund state school education (legislation plans are circulating among dems at least), loans were made so that default penalties at private schools would hurt those schools, and loans could be discharged into bankruptcy then I think things would be going better.

 

[engmedpt]

I could understand even a 10% increase

I was specifically told by the financial aid person that tuition wouldn't increase more than 1-2% a year. I think there is mad discrepancy between who actually adjusts rates, the understanding of what those people are actually doing to students, student understanding of the profits occurring, and how everyone else involved in the program actually understands and believes tuition increases will work. Ignorance in where the funds are coming from and how the funds flow back in may be resulting in all of this.

 

[Sheldon]

What program is this? This is outrageous and financially abusive. This is a school I'd advise others to stay clear of.

 

[engmedpt]

.

 

[NewDPT31]

I agree it's BS. Our tuition raised about 20% during our time, and about %35% from fresh-end. Including a 9% jump during the market crash. Apparently 900million wasn't a big enough endowment for them(don't worry it's back up to close to 2B now).

When Governors like Bruce Rauner(IL) and Scott Walker(WI) (among others) destroy higher education funding for their state, the programs have to make it up somewhere.

http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/capitol-news/rauner-suggests-30-cuts-in-universities-budgets

http://americablog.com/2015/07/scot...ties-wants-to-give-it-to-milwaukee-bucks.html

That being said, and while those cuts are for all higher ed, costs during PT school are ridiculous. The most ridiculous was going on clinicals. The clinics/hospitals receive no money. The school has a counselor call you 2x during each clinical(2-9 weeks) for a 10 minute phone call where you answer ridiculous questions about "growth" and "professionalism". Meanwhile you are still paying full tuition. We worked it out to about $15 per hour we were PAYING to be students while on clinical. Ridiculous.

 

[engmedpt]

@OP check your original loan counseling work from the department of education and scan for anything about potentially contacting them about price issues

 

[engmedpt]

I agree it's BS. Our tuition raised about 20% during our time, and about %35% from fresh-end. Including a 9% jump during the market crash. Apparently 900million wasn't a big enough endowment for them(don't worry it's back up to close to 2B now).

When Governors like Bruce Rauner(IL) and Scott Walker(WI) (among others) destroy higher education funding for their state, the programs have to make it up somewhere.

http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/capitol-news/rauner-suggests-30-cuts-in-universities-budgets

http://americablog.com/2015/07/scot...ties-wants-to-give-it-to-milwaukee-bucks.html

That being said, and while those cuts are for all higher ed, costs during PT school are ridiculous. The most ridiculous was going on clinicals. The clinics/hospitals receive no money. The school has a counselor call you 2x during each clinical(2-9 weeks) for a 10 minute phone call where you answer ridiculous questions about "growth" and "professionalism". Meanwhile you are still paying full tuition. We worked it out to about $15 per hour we were PAYING to be students while on clinical. Ridiculous.

Its because you're a millenial. Period. Sorry that you happen to exist at this time

 

[DesertPT]

We worked it out to about $15 per hour we were PAYING to be students while on clinical. Ridiculous.

They do it that way because people would have an even bigger conniption fit when they saw their 1st and 2nd year tuition bill if the costs were not spread out over the three years like they are. They were going to charge you the same grand total anyway, so be glad they didn't charge it all during first and second year. That would have just been another year for interest to accumulate. I'm not saying that the price of a DPT is reasonable in any way. I can't speak for all private schools obviously, but state schools spend more money per student than they bring in in tuition dollars, and they spread the billing out over 3 years.

 

[NewDPT31]

They do it that way because people would have an even bigger conniption fit when they saw their 1st and 2nd year tuition bill if the costs were not spread out over the three years like they are. They were going to charge you the same grand total anyway, so be glad they didn't charge it all during first and second year. That would have just been another year for interest to accumulate. I'm not saying that the price of a DPT is reasonable in any way. I can't speak for all private schools obviously, but state schools spend more money per student than they bring in in tuition dollars, and they spread the billing out over 3 years.

That's a good point. Although I still think 75 students @ 45k/year is more than enough to handle the 8 -10 staff members.

 

[engmedpt]

That's a good point. Although I still think 75 students @ 45k/year is more than enough to handle the 8 -10 staff members.

That's more than double my rate. You couldn't have been state school were you?

My faculty has transparent salaries that can be found online. They're not some 400k law professor, but I'm not sure at other schools

Highest I saw was pulling low six figs which is perfectly reasonable given their research output and standard prof rates. Now the university presidents salary for the entire institution at large? Yea, that bigdog is a different story.

 

[engmedpt]

Updates?