Boston University students who thought they were alone in having to fork over what they say is an exorbitant amount for their education are finding themselves in good company.
According to a Boston Globe survey of 20 universities and colleges in the greater Boston area, the number of schools that charge $50,000 or more annually for tuition, room and board and other mandatory fees is expected to double for the 2010-11 academic year.
Along with Tufts University, Boston College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College and Babson College, BU was above $50,000 threshold this past year with a total all-inclusive cost for residents of $53,000.
Next year however, Wellesley College, Brandeis University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, College of the Holy Cross, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will be joining these ranks with costs exceeding $50,000.
For the 2010-2011 school year, the total cost of attendance for an on-campus resident in minimum-cost housing at BU will be $54,900, as opposed to $46,400 for a commuter, according to the BU financial aid website.
This total cost includes tuition and fees, as well as other expenses, such as books, supplies, room and board and personal expenses.
Just across the river, Harvard’s cost for the next academic year will be jumping to a total ranging from $53,950 to $56,750 dollars depending on estimated personal and travel expenses, according to Harvard’s Office of Admissions website.
Whereas some BU students said they found the numerous additions to the “50K’ league unsurprising, others lamented the exceedingly high cost of education.
“It does create a strain, but that’s the price of going to such a good school,” said College of Arts and Sciences junior Alexander Cadman. “It’s not a surprise considering the economy.”
Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences senior Allison Baillie said the reputation of most Boston-area schools exceeds their costs, arguing that the rise in tuition would most likely not affect enrollment.
“Enrollment will stay the same because of the caliber of these schools,” she said. “I think financial aid will keep up because they [school officials] know it’s needed.”
SAR senior Jennifer McMahon said the increase was inevitable.
“People won’t be happy about it, but it won’t change,” she said.
Likewise, BU Campus Minister Joshua Ziesel expressed his concern that rising costs are making Bay State schools unaffordable to students.
“It’s an outrage that tuition is outpacing inflation,” he said. “I know that Harvard has a program that subsidizes more financial aid, and I’d like to see more schools do the same.”
“It’s making schools out of reach, which is a shame,” he added.
CAS freshman Natalie Cline said she was shocked to discover that BU costs more than Ivy League schools such as Harvard and Brown this year.
“It’s ridiculous that there are four-plus Ivies that cost less than BU, especially when you compare the quality of education versus the price,” she said.
