Cost of Attendance

[vu72]

OMG.  The sticker price to attend Valpo has just past $50,000 at $50,160  for the 2017-2018 year.  They go on to say that the typical student gets around $30,000 in aid but that has to include a bunch of loans.  Now you can get a handle on why the endowment is so critical to help families afford this great place.

http://www.valpo.edu/student-financial-services/what-to-expect/tuition-fees/

[vu72]

My mistake.  The total cost of $50,160 does NOT include books or indirect costs.  When added together the final estimated price is $52,980!!!  Holy smokes...

[VULB#62]

Adding some perspective (glad my kids are out of school):  This is 


TUITION/HOUSING/FEES

Evansville  (2016) $48,970

Bradley (2017) $43,240

Loyola (2015-16) $56,536

DePauw (2016) $60,367.  This is 67% more expensive than the national average private non-profit four-year college tuition of $25,198. The cost is $22,987 and 121% more expensive than the average Indiana tuition of $19,063 for 4-year colleges.

Harvard - 2016-17 -- $63,025, 2017-18 -- $65,609 (Most Ivy schools are always within a couple hundred of each other)

[valpotx]

Well, that sucks!  I remember that it was around $24k-$25k when I was in school from 1999-2004.  I have a 3 year old and 7 1/2 month old, and do not look forward to this upward trend!!

[usc4valpo]

These numbers may be misleading. Note that universities have different formulas regarding scholarship and financial aid

[bbtds]

Well, that sucks!  I remember that it was around $24k-$25k when I was in school from 1999-2004.  I have a 3 year old and 7 1/2 month old, and do not look forward to this upward trend!!

Wait till they grow taller than you. Talk about an upward trend that you don't look forward to seeing. 

[VU2014]

OMG.  The sticker price to attend Valpo has just past $50,000 at $50,160  for the 2017-2018 year.  They go on to say that the typical student gets around $30,000 in aid but that has to include a bunch of loans.  Now you can get a handle on why the endowment is so critical to help families afford this great place.

http://www.valpo.edu/student-financial-services/what-to-expect/tuition-fees/

OMG. The price of Tuition has shot up even since I graduated not too long ago. It would be impossible for me to have attended Valparaiso at the prices before without my scholarship.

Honestly the tuition prices make me sick to my stomach just to think about.

It also makes me wonder if we're not near some sort of Student Loan Debt bubble... The prices of tuition around the country are escalating at a alarming rate. Kids will struggle to pay back student loans as it is. Part of the blame has to go to the US Department of Education for the seismic increase in loans. It's a noble cause to help students attend college in the now but Universities/Colleges know the the "spigot" is open and they know as long as someone is willing to pay they can keep increasing prices. I hate to take that cynical point of view but there is a correlation if you take a look at the data.   

[crusader05]

I saw a chart somewhere that said the bubble has actually stopped and we're back to slower growth in tuition but we're still dealing with the bubble and it's not good for both students AND colleges who need to cough up more and more aide while struggling to maintain the type of students that could afford to pay regular tuition without university help.

I'm glad to see a push twoards more endowment vs buildings and amenities but it is difficult. You want to slow the cost of housing and such but then you run into expectations of the quality of life at these universities demanding air conditioning in all dorms, high quality rec centers etc. those cost way more money than people acknowledge which doesn't even include costs of retaining quality professors and expanding programs. For all the "academics matter" conversations most frustrations or demands I hear from parents circle around administration/life on campus than education.

[vu84v2]

The attached interview from NPR is related to an article in the WSJ earlier this week.

http://www.npr.org/2017/07/25/539334367/college-tuition-grows-at-slowest-pace-in-decades

A few other comments:
-The 'sticker price' for tuition is misleading. As Valpo says on their website, over 90% of students receive financial aid at an average of $30,000 per student (which, I think, is over four year - not per year). The higher listed price allows for the university to charge a higher price for foreign students and creates a perception of savings when students get financial aid.
-The university has to keep up with the competition on amenities, but more importantly has to focus on value for the money spent.

[usc4valpo]

My daughter and I made a campus visit, and the campus and leadership was great. however, I just found out cost per year is $57k. Yikes. She wants to major in education, so we are thinking the state school route will be the way to go.

[FWalum]

My daughter and I made a campus visit, and the campus and leadership was great. however, I just found out cost per year is $57k. Yikes. She wants to major in education, so we are thinking the state school route will be the way to go.

Go through the entire process and find out what your daughter's actual cost will be.  Do not let the big "cost of attendance" number scare you off without getting an actual number (scholarships and grants etc.) from the university. Remember that US News ranks us #1 in Best Value Schools.
Valparaiso University #1 in Best Value Schools

[usc4valpo]

I did the numbers on what it would cost for us. If all goes well, it would cost around $10k more annually compared to the state schools. Also, I think the fit was not there. I love Valpo, but  like any school it is not for everybody.

[FieldGoodie05]

I did the numbers on what it would cost for us. If all goes well, it would cost around $10k more annually compared to the state schools. Also, I think the fit was not there. I love Valpo, but  like any school it is not for everybody.

It's hard to imagine getting $40k worth of networking value at Valpo for state or federal employees.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I see where you are coming from.

As a teacher K-12, I'd imagine state school combined with who you know in the district is the best value add.  If becoming a professor is in the cards, maybe that's a different story?

I was international business, so I'm out of my wheel house on teacher schools.

[usc4valpo]

It would be really cool to see my daughter go to the same school as me, but it is remote. I want what is best for her.

[vu84v2]

The broader question here is 'Why Valpo?'. This answer varies greatly across disciplines and the students in those disciplines.

I was an engineering major at Valpo. Very difficult program by pretty much anyone's definition. I lacked maturity and discipline when I started college and didn't figure things out until well into my Sophomore year. If I had gone to Illinois (where I had a large scholarship), I would have flunked out - no question. But at Valpo, the faculty cared...a lot! They didn't just let me pass or make it easier, but they stayed with me and encouraged me. For me, Valpo was worth every additional dollar (that admittedly my parents spent). I have had successful careers and that engineering degree was the foundation for that success.

But if i had been more mature and / or studied a different discipline, I might not feel the same. USC4Valpo: my guess is that might be what your daughter is thinking. She is likely more confident in her ability to succeed in a program than i was and, perhaps, more confident than many other students her age. I imagine that you are rightfully proud of her and my guess is that she will do well.

[usc4valpo]

84v2 - thank you for your kind response. I also was in engineering around your time there and I almost transferred during my sophomore year to Illinois! But  I stayed because I thought Illinois did not have any level of empathy and was a cutthroat environment. I also felt comfortable at Valpo and it was a good decision - my education at Valpo was valuable to succeed in engineering and gave me the foundation and confidence to advance my education at USC and MIT.

My daughter wants to major in education and is pursuing the Iowa state schools - Iowa St, UNI and Iowa. These schools, particularly UNI, have great education programs.

[vu72]

I would think the Valpo value comes down to the kid.  Are smaller class sizes important?  Is connecting to faculty important?  Is being in/at a place like the Valpo community (smaller, safer, less prone to studying distractions) important?  Is being at a Christian school and the resulting spiritual values/options important?

In a area like engineering, is doing undergraduate research on something like the solar furnace important?  In meteorology, is having graduates posted around the country as leads in Chicago or a Chief at ABC news important for interviews?  We all could go on.  I have also heard that certain engineering options can't be completed in four years at a place like Purdue.

Does any of this make the added cost worthwhile?  It comes down to the kid.

[bbtds]

Fixed it.

Does any of this make the added cost worthwhile?  It comes down to the kid mature independent young adult smart enough to go to Valpo.

[VULB#62]

Does any of this make the added cost worthwhile? It comes down to the mature, independent young adult smart enough to go to Valpo.

Yes. And also it comes down to the alumni contact network.  And there are multiple contact levels. Living in the northeast for most of my life and having my kids there, my wife and I realized that going to schools that resonated in that arena was important. We made a deal with both our kids. We would pay whatever it took to get them into the best schools they could get into (unfortunately at that time we could not afford a million dollar bribe to get them both into Hahvad).  We understood that it was the network that was the  critical factor. Thankfully they both got accepted to great New England liberal arts colleges. They did well academically. My son did well athletically as well. My daughter moved to Montana with a fellow grad and the love of her life and they now own a successful international  pet toy company and are thriving. My son is now a VP at Merrill Lynch in Boston. In his initial job interviews he was astounded by the fact that the interviewers were impressed by his alma mater because they were grads of similar institutions. For example : oh, you played soccer for so and so; do you know so and so from thus and such?  None of that would have happened without key connections supplied by their association with the institutions from which they graduated. 

Valpo has that same very strong rich niche in the midwest. VU might not graduate 2000+ bodies at a time like Northern Iowa, but it graduates a smaller group of very special and qualified graduates. This is what sets Valpo apart. And, if played right, would position it to have a "your college reputation precedes you." This is the added value a Valpo degree that  alpo offers the kind of kid we are recruiting for all of our sports. We recruit good kids who are good students with good values and great smarts. I hope we never stray from that.

Now, if we could only invest more in these kids as our torch bearers (get it?} and provide them with a nationally respected platform that is possible through athletics we would be friggin golden. And so would every Valpo non-athlete riding that wave.  A rising tide floats all boats. The engineering boat. The fine arts boat. The meteorological boat. The educational boat. The business boat. Yaddah, yaddah.

Don't you think all Gonzaga grads are picking the fruits of what the basketball program has produced?

Why is this not crystal clear to the powers that be?

[usc4valpo]

62 - good points, well written. As a parent, I want what is best for my daughter, and UNI is recognized as a fine teachers college. We looked at Valpo, and for her it did not feel like a good fit. Maybe and remotely she will change her mind 6 months from now but she has to make the decision.

[FWalum]

Yes. And also it comes down to the alumni contact network.  And there are multiple contact levels. Living in the northeast for most of my life and having my kids there, my wife and I realized that going to schools that resonated in that arena was important. We made a deal with both our kids. We would pay whatever it took to get them into the best schools they could get into (unfortunately at that time we could not afford a million dollar bribe to get them both into Hahvad).  We understood that it was the network that was the  critical factor. Thankfully they both got accepted to great New England liberal arts colleges. They did well academically.

Had similar experiences especially with our middle daughter.  Really wanted my kids to take a good hard look at Valpo, but had basically told them the same thing concerning schools. She could have gone to just about any school, but decided on a great school in NC for a combination of reasons. After a great 4 years of undergrad, then applying to DPT schools, we are sitting in the auditorium of a highly respected grad school with 300 applicant/interviewees being told that there are 25 slots and they will let you know in 10 days via FedEx if you have one of the slots, you wonder if it was all worth it. Then she gets a phone call literally within an hour after the interview process is over, telling her that her school was special and her work exceptional and they want to offer her a position right now, you think maybe it was the best decision. She had her pick of great grad schools and is now at Children's National Hospital in D.C.. These were all very coveted positions and there is no doubt in my mind that the schools she attended and the networking of alumni at these schools have allowed her to achieve at a quicker pace than if she had gone someplace without the same reputation in her chosen area of study.

P. S. When I took her on her official visit to Valpo in late February, we had to walk backwards through the the blowing snow coming down at about 2 inches an hour.  When we went on the visit to NC about 3 weeks later flowers were blooming and the school looked like a scene from Gone With the Wind. VU didn't stand a chance. 

[bbtds]

Yes. And also it comes down to the alumni contact network.  And there are multiple contact levels. Living in the northeast for most of my life and having my kids there, my wife and I realized that going to schools that resonated in that arena was important. We made a deal with both our kids. We would pay whatever it took to get them into the best schools they could get into (unfortunately at that time we could not afford a million dollar bribe to get them both into Hahvad).

Maybe if you had gotten to know the crew coach well he would have saved a place for your mature, independent young adult smart enough to go to Valpo, a temporary spot on the team. He already had extra funds from Hollywood. Maybe convince him to invest in an athletic facility in Indiana, also. 

[bbtds]

Maybe and remotely she will change her mind 6 months from now

Tell her it's becoming a real trend. Mature, independent young adults smart enough to go to Valpo are doing it all the time. Students love trends. 

[usc4valpo]

Not sure where you are going, but if you are blasting USC, your one liners are a month late. Alums at USC, including myself, are pissed off about the situation, but all schools have faults including Valpo. USC, similar to Valpo, also has a lot of positive aspects. 

[a3uge]

The broader question here is 'Why Valpo?'. This answer varies greatly across disciplines and the students in those disciplines.

I was an engineering major at Valpo. Very difficult program by pretty much anyone's definition. I lacked maturity and discipline when I started college and didn't figure things out until well into my Sophomore year. If I had gone to Illinois (where I had a large scholarship), I would have flunked out - no question. But at Valpo, the faculty cared...a lot! They didn't just let me pass or make it easier, but they stayed with me and encouraged me. For me, Valpo was worth every additional dollar (that admittedly my parents spent). I have had successful careers and that engineering degree was the foundation for that success.

But if i had been more mature and / or studied a different discipline, I might not feel the same. USC4Valpo: my guess is that might be what your daughter is thinking. She is likely more confident in her ability to succeed in a program than i was and, perhaps, more confident than many other students her age. I imagine that you are rightfully proud of her and my guess is that she will do well.

I had a similar experience. I started in engineering, but wound up in computer science. The faculty directed me to that career and cared about my success, even though I was floundering. I would have failed out of a state school. I'm now in pretty good shape with my career. I don't think Valpo is for everyone, but YMMV.