<p>Interesting. My D is a graduate of this university and we can't say enough good about her experience. It has been expensive, but after this, my current HS Junior may be taking a closer look:</p>
<p>Ohio Northern University:
Ohio</a> Northern University announces ?The Ohio Northern Promise? to make an excellent college education more affordable | Ohio Northern University</p>
<p>This may be a response to a recent New York Times article which blasted several small, liberal arts colleges in the midwest. I cannot recall if ONU was in the article, but I do remember several schools in Ohio were lambasted for their record of graduating students with extraordinarily high student loans and little prospect of employment. Many of these schools facilitated these loans to students who could ill afford them and should not have been attending a high priced private college.</p>
<p>This was not a dig at Ohio schools per se, but a sad illustration about how many students can be saddled with $200K in loans and yet have trouble finding jobs as a waitress when they graduate with their degree in anthropology.</p>
<p>Yes , ONU was one of those schools, but SLIGHTLY in there defense they were nicely generous with merit/fin aid - D got a nice package but knew others who had even better. I do have to wonder if this reduction will also mean a reduction in that aid- I would expect that to a degree - that said, I know a lot of employed graduates coming out so that’s a p,us as well.</p>
<p>Glad to hear your daughter got a nice financial package. One can only assume that these offerings will likely decline if the reduce tuition overall. I’m not sure if this strategy will actually be favorable in the end.</p>
<p>That NYT article really struck a nerve with me. Reading the vignettes was heartbreaking. The waitress who makes a few hundred dollars a week with student loan payments of over $1000/month. It was all so sad.</p>
<p>Other non-elite private schools have had to cut list price tuition in the recent past, presumably because they cannot get enough applicants (or at least enough “good enough” applicants).</p>
<p>[5</a> colleges slashing tuition - Seton Hall University (1) - CNNMoney](<a href=“http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/pf/1111/gallery.colleges_lower_tuition/index.html]5”>5 colleges slashing tuition - Seton Hall University (1) - CNNMoney)</p>
<p>Almost even more impressive than the tuition reduction is the graduation. “Guarantee” - grad in 4 years or tuition for the extra (1) semester is free.</p>
<p>Not really seeing the reason to celebrate. They went from 50k to 35k. Not really sure how anyone gets 150k of value from any undergrad university, much less a tiny midwest LAC.</p>
<p>There are graduates of MANY universities who are underemployed. This is not unique to the schools in the NYT article.</p>
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<p>Lots of schools have such guarantee programs despite low four year graduation rates (e.g. Minnesota - 55%; CSUs in Pomona, Fresno, San Bernardino, Stanislaus - under 20%). What that reveals is that late graduation is more often student related (changing major late, needing remedial courses, failing courses, taking light course loads, etc.).</p>
<p>ONU’s four year guarantee and conditions are listed here: [2</a>. Four-Year Guarantee | Ohio Northern University](<a href=“http://www.onu.edu/promise/four_year_guarantee]2”>http://www.onu.edu/promise/four_year_guarantee) . Students must “stay on track” and take at least 30 credits per year. Students who change majors may lose the guarantee. Transfer students are not eligible.</p>
<p>FYI - ONU may be small (about 3,600 students) but it is not a LAC as it has 5 colleges - Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Pharmacy and Law</p>
<p>That’s a pretty loaded statement Rexximus - the Midwest is full of some pretty prestigious small privates a agreed its a lot of cash - but is not unique to the Midwest.</p>
<p>Say what you will, but our family’s experience at this school was exceptional.</p>
<p>A very good friend of mine went to ONU for engineering. OK, it’s not OSU, but he’s a competent engineer. Another friend is considering sending his kid there for their pretty good pharmacy program. </p>
<p>Granted, ONU is like in the middle of nowhere, but so are a lot of other schools…</p>
<p>Made no comment about the quality of the university, I’m sure its fantastic. Economically it makes no sense compared to the exceptional state flagship. I’m assuming if you can get into ONU you can get into OSU- not sure if thats accurate.</p>
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<p>ONU appears to be less selective than tOSU.</p>
<p>[Ohio</a> Northern University Admissions Information - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1790]Ohio”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1790)
[Ohio</a> State University Admissions Information - CollegeData College Profile](<a href=“http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1807]Ohio”>http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg02_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1807)</p>
<p>If you’re in the small differential in selectivity, an OSU regional campus and transfer and save even more money. Prepharm/engineering should have no problem getting a 4.0 at a directional in freshman classes.</p>
<p>I still don’t see how going from insanely expensive to ridiculously expensive is much cause for celebration.</p>
<p>If you are looking at ONU (small) you are not likely looking at OSU. </p>
<p>But all that aside, the point of the post is the reduction - something I am not accustomed to seeing.</p>
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<p>That was the case with my friend. His girlfriend got into OSU but he did not, did not want to go OOS, did not want (for some reason) to walk to UC (his house is walking distance) and he ended up at ONU. That was in the early 80’s tho.</p>
<p>The thing that mystifies me is the cost of room and board. Living in Ada should not cost that much! </p>
<p>It would be interesting to see what they offer your younger daughter, compared to what your older daughter paid. </p>
<p>[Ohio</a> Northern promises to slash tuition - Toledo Blade](<a href=“Ohio Northern promises to slash tuition | The Blade”>Ohio Northern promises to slash tuition | The Blade)</p>
<p>I called the financial office and they expect a big reduction in automatic merit aid.</p>
<p>So basically the university was one of those schools that awarded auto merit to pretty much everyone, realized that quite a few people were turned off by its obscene sticker price, and then decided to lower the sticker price down to its actual net cost?</p>