By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
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Dallas, TX – In these tough economic times, more and more high school students are wondering if they can afford college. They've been told a higher education can help ensure a better future. But college is now pricier than ever. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more on why this issue will be important to lawmakers meeting in Austin.
At Dallas' Townview high school, senior Simon Myers eyed costly schools like Duke and Columbia. Then the economy went south, and he focused on more affordable state schools.
Simon Myers, Senior at Townview's Science and Engineering Magnet: All my choices have to do more with cost than with whether or not I'll get in.
But even tuition and fees at public universities and colleges have ballooned in recent years. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board says costs rose nearly 55 percent from 2003 through 2007, following tuition deregulation. State legislators gave colleges and universities the right to set their own tuitions.
Myers: I'm afraid the cost of college might go up while I'm there, which would stink. Then I would have to pay a lot more money than I had planned on and I might not be able to finish school.
Myers is not alone. Townview Counselor Naveen Kashyap says some students are finding it hard to afford even the basic college application fee of 50 to 75 dollars. She says paying the fee didn't used to be a problem. She's also noticed that for some students, even a 4 year state college may now be a luxury.
Counselor Naveen Kashyap: They talk about community college more than they used to talk 3 years ago. because of the money. They are scared to think they have to take loans. It's hard to pay and that'll be more loans than usual.
As always, scholarships are among the ways around the high cost of college. Counselor Tom Flores urges all his students to pursue them, no matter what.
Flores: I'm telling them not to give up. there's money out there. It's a matter of being aggressive. You never know. If you don't apply you'll never know if you qualify.
Only now, there are fewer dollars to go around. Counselor Kashyap says once-generous state universities are much stingier with scholarships and loans after budget cuts and endowment losses in the millions.
Kashyap: College representatives say money MAY be available but the college will not release the money. Because they don't know what's going to happen, next year, how much money will be there.
The Texas Legislature insisted state colleges and universities set aside some money for low income students, but State Senator Royce West says it's the middle class who are hardest hit.
Royce West, Texas Senator: Over the last decade, the middle class has continually been squeezed. We need to provide financial resources for these students. By the year 2040, we'll have 40 million people in the state of Texas.
For the state to thrive, West says those residents will need a high quality education. That's why State Higher Education Coordinating Board Commissioner Raymond Paredes says he'll ask legislators for an extra hundred million dollars this legislative session, targeting middle class students.
Raymond Paredes, Commissioner, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: And that will enable us to us fund about 66 percent of all eligible students for Texas grant.
Legislators like West are concerned deregulation has led to soaring tuition. He'll look for new resources and work to hold the universities accountable.