Tuition increase

Colleges & Universities A-Z California Institute of Technology
1

<p>I think someone dropped the ball when managing the finances here. When we went to the frosh camp, we were joking that they (Caltech) must have done well in the stock market since we were brought to an expensive-looking resort.</p>

<p>Except this came in a couple days ago:
"
January 10, 2005</p>

<p>Dear Caltech Students and Parents:</p>

<p>We write to inform you that tuition and fees for next year will rise by $1,973 (7.8%) to $27,308, and campus room and board will increase by $802 (8.1%) to $10,742. In setting these rates, we seek to address a number of issues, most notably how best to maintain Caltech's world-class educational standards and to provide services for all of our students.</p>

<p>While these increases are significant, and as we face the economic challenges common to all of higher education, the cost of attending Caltech remains below the average of other private peer research institutions. A major factor driving next year's increase is the Institute's recognition of the need to improve the quality of student housing while continuing to offer the student services that students have come to know and expect. These are integral services (e.g.
comprehensive health insurance coverage, online course enrollment, unlimited academic transcripts, and dining options) that complement the classroom and laboratory experience. In addition, the Institute remains committed to providing financial aid to those who qualify and to meeting the full demonstrated need of these students. Any increase in demonstrated financial need as a result of increased costs, therefore, will be met with additional grant assistance from the Institute's resources for the 2005-06 academic year.</p>

<p>Sustaining Caltech's mission - to educate the next generation's best and brightest scientists and engineers - is our central focus.
Tuition alone does not begin to cover the entire cost of educating our students. We depend heavily on gifts and other sources of income to maintain Caltech's unique educational enterprise. With a small student body and an unusually low student-to-faculty ratio, Caltech's intimate educational environment, unmatched in American higher education, continues to attract the most gifted students from around the world.</p>

<p>Thank you for your understanding and continuing support.</p>

<p>Best regards,
"</p>

<p>I wonder what's going on since they already increased the tuition last year. IMO, this is an issue that prospective students (who haven't been offered fin aid) should ask Caltech.</p>

2

<p>Inflation is high right now. Government funding is low.</p>

<p>Caltech needs to generate the funds to operate at current levels somehow.</p>

<p>I agree, tuition increases places further burdens on students, but from my experience with the education system, there's not a whole lot of terribly compelling alternatives.</p>

3

<p>We'll need to see how much HYPSM increase their tuition this year, but I know that H and S, at least, had stellar performances in their endowments the past year. Harvard has raced past $20 billion and S hit $10 billion.</p>

4

<p>Don't most colleges increase their tuition every year? In fact, I don't think the tuition increased last year, though it did the year before. (At the time, we were told it was due to the increased cost of health insurance and the fact that there hadn't been an increase for several years previously.) But, I agree with your point that I'm not happy paying for an increase in my tuition when there are unnecessary expenses like posh resorts for frosh camp when the rest of us made do with AstroCamp...</p>

5

<p>I think these tuition increases are a good thing, however. The people who recieve need-based aid will see no increase in their contribution, and it is only those who are fortunate enough, like my family, to be able to pay these tuitions in cash who will pay more, and they will pay more willingly. Frankly, what better use of money is there than sending it to a reasearch university like Caltech where it is used to uncover more of science's greatest mysteries and ultimately better human conditions.</p>

6

<p>Jeesh, you are from a really loaded family then... I sure as hell don't pay more willingly, especially when I could make a list of items that I would want to cut (ie. Caltech should've tried to shave expenses over raising tuition). That, or Caltech should've found just one rich alum to give a couple million. </p>

<p>This need-based aid is insane. Caltech gives them so much that they buy their books new, get computer upgrades (ram, peripherals, etc), and basically aren't worried about money. I actually shop for my books; I bought most of my books for this term from half.com and price-matched the rest. The fact that I cost so much to my family puts a huge burden on me... and an 8% jump doesn't help! </p>

<p>BTW, I doubt this tuition increase will pay "to uncover more of science's greatest mysteries and ultimately better human conditions". It's used to cover healthcare (which seems great for students who want unlimited condoms, free STD testing, and similar health services), housing improvements, etc.</p>

7

<p>While I'm willing to pay a tuition increase for increased healthcare and better housing, I agree with webhappy that you really need to consider the family's that are just skating by -- ones that make enough money to not qualify for aid, but have to cut a lot of corners to afford to come here. There are also families like mine which think they can't afford the entire tuition (or are unwilling to pay it) and force the burden onto the students. Considering how many loans I've already taken out, an 8% raise in tuition is nothing to laugh off.</p>

8

<p>Informative posts, webhappy...I share your sentiments! This is about the last nail in the coffin for S's notion on Caltech.</p>

9

<p>Well, I personally value the prestigious name a lot, so I wouldn't be so certain at this point. I just know that the decision was quite easy for me because the cost gap between here and S was about 8% for this year, so now the decision may be harder.</p>

10

<p>I was referring to my son. This tuition/housing increase and "other" things in this thread pretty much seals the deal that he won't be going to Caltech.</p>

11

<p>Coloradokid, if you're worried about Caltech increasing it's tuition, you might want to consider not sending your son to college at all. Every college increases it's tuition and most do it yearly.</p>

12

<p>A small correction. I suppose I assumed in my previous post that the P who posts as ColoradoKid is a M and not a F, but then I recalled a previous post and figure it's probably the F. Sorry 'bout that.</p>

13

<p>Hm Ben, I've also always wondered why a lot of parents like to use "S" and "D".. I mean, the difference between "son" and "S" is only two letters. Is it really that much more work to type two more letters?</p>

<p>And I do feel sorry for your son, Colorado, that he can't go to Caltech. :( Don't lose hope on things so quickly.</p>

14

<p>Ahem, Ben Golub. Engaging in your rudness is tempting but I'll pass on stooping to that level. For the benefit of whoever else may read this thread, I will respond to a couple of things.</p>

<p>I have initiated communication with admissions and financial aid. In fact, I had to send the communication multiple times to get anyone in admissions to respond. It was merely a canned response when I did get something, not personalized in any way and certainly not helpful. My request for info was earnest and respectful, btw.</p>

<p>"school of his dreams"</p>

<p>...let's not get carried away here.</p>

<p>"unexceptional and undistinguished state (or other) school" </p>

<p>If state schools like Illinois and UCB (where my son also applied) are unexceptional and undistinguished, where's that leave Caltech? Their engineering programs (which is what we're concerned with) in general are rated above Caltechs. In fact, Caltech isn't even on the map in most engineering specialties.</p>

15

<p>Ahem, ColoradoKid. I'd not be making assumptions about "the school of his dreams" except that I've talked with your son for many hours and unless he's proactively and persistently lying -- without me even asking about it -- Caltech is the school that fits him far and away better than anything else he's considered. (And I don't understand why he'd want to falsely flatter my school now that he's gotten in -- on the contrary, everybody gets <em>less</em> starry-eyed when they're the ones choosing where to go, not the other way around. I've been through it and I've seen it happening.)</p>

<p>It's not great that the admissions office didn't respond to your inquiry the first time. But then again they make it pretty clear that they are not the people to talk to about financial aid matters.</p>

<p>Now on to the actual issue. To be honest, it won't matter in the grand scheme if you send your son off to be an ID number off at Berkeley. (At that particular factory, by all accounts, it is a rare honor for an undergrad to sit down for a relaxed conversation with even a fairly undistinguished professor, but is obviously the norm here for Nobel laureates.) It will also have no cosmic significance if you send him to Illinois, (average SAT 1288 -- lower than the lowest score at Caltech; 50% of students made the top 10% in high school). I am sure your son is eagerly chomping at the bit to begin high school, round two, where in his non-major courses he'll have to continue dealing with boredom and idiots. Sounds like a productive use of his most fertile intellectual years. Especially knowing your son.</p>

<p>But the point is that Caltech (implausible as it may seem) will find a way to move on no matter what decision you coerce your son to make. The only person to whose life this decision will deeply affect is your son. From knowing literally hundreds of people who've gone through this process, I know for a fact that those who have to settle for a second choice (usually for money reasons) despite getting into their first are often deeply unhappy. Especially when the school you pass up is a once-in-a-lifetime experience like Caltech.</p>

<p>A parent ought not to risk poverty or sell his life to send his son to the school the son wants to attend. But he also ought not to be the grinch, placing nonvital financial interests above intellectual ones. And despite what you may want to think, you don't get to decide what your son's intellectual interests are -- he does. If he thinks he will thrive here and not as much elsewhere, then he is right. Often that prophecy will be self-fulfilling.</p>

<p>Most importantly, you haven't answered the substantive point in my previous message:</p>

<p>With four months to go before you know all the information, you're talking about nails and coffins instead of hopes and opportunities.</p>

<p>That's not the right thing for a parent to do.</p>

16

<p>"I've talked with your son for many hours"</p>

<p>Um, thanks for your worldly advice, Ben Golub, but I don't believe you know my son at all. You don't know who I am so how could you know who my son is???</p>

17

<p>Oh, and another thing, admissions is quite involved with scholarships per financial aid.</p>

18

<p>Well, your son posted on this board, I'm fairly sure, to say he got in, for instance. I offered my instant message contact info for anybody with questions, and he sent me a message to ask some things about Caltech. (Tommy, right?) Since then he contacts me sometimes to talk about this or that at Caltech, and hopefully I've been of some help giving him an idea of the opportunities here.</p>

<p>Actually I had been sure until two minutes ago that he started posting using this name, but he used his own. I guess I figured it out because he said he was from Colorado and it would be rare for more than one kid to get in early from Colorado.</p>

19

<p>As for finaid, etc., it's true that admissions makes the Axline and similar awards, but that's not the ideal corner from which to expept aid, and there's not really any way to "apply" for those scholarships or increase one's chances except submitting a good application. As you yourself have heard many times, unless your kid goes around winning the International Math Olympiad in his spare time, it's probably not wise to expect that form of a scholarship. Admissions gets justifiably tired of hearing parents say that their child really ought to be considered for this or that merit scholarship. If they deserve it, they will be awarded it. I was just explaining why admissions is less quick to respond to that sort of query.</p>

20

<p>You've got the wrong guy. My son's name is not Tommy or any variant thereof.</p>