Many schools are gearing up to help military service members pursue a college education. In fact, some of these institutions are offering tuition assistance programs and reducing the cost of enrolling in a degree program.
For instance, Excelsior College, which is an accredited distance learning provider, recently announced a new streamlined application process and a reduction in tuition for military men and women.
College officials said that the school will decrease graduate-level tuition for Army personnel from $455 per credit to $250 beginning in March. Moreover, other branches of the armed services will be eligible in May.
"The military’s pre-college screening process provides all the necessary information to satisfy Excelsior’s application requirements, so military students can save time and start coursework earlier," said Susan Dewan, executive director of Excelsior’s Center for Military Education.
Officials added that the streamlined process applies to students who wish to enroll in the Excelsior schools of Business and Technology, Liberal Arts and Health Sciences. However, service members who wish to gain admission into the School of Nursing are still required to complete an application.
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The turbulent economy coupled with the growing number of individuals who are going back to school has forced many colleges to restructure their tuition assistance programs. Meanwhile, other school are updating their pricing policies to help them entice prospective enrollees.
For example, the Pennsylvania System of Higher Education board of governors, which oversees the state's 14 state universities, recently announced that they will update their pricing policies, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports
As part of this plan, state universities will be replacing full-time tuition with a per-credit hour system for graduate students. Furthermore, the policy will enable schools to have more flexibility in what they charge distance and out-of-state learners.
Officials told the news source that the new policy will allow universities to organize summer and winter pricing packages for students. Nearly 119,500 individuals comprise the total enrollment in the 14 state-funded colleges in Pennsylvania, and nearly 16,500 of them are graduate students.
Currently, the rate is $387 per credit hour. In-state graduate students who are taking at least nine credits are charged $6,966 per year.
The change will allow the school to eliminate some campus fees that distance learners are charged. Moreover, schools are now required to charge 150 percent of the in-state tuition to those who are not residents of Pennsylvania.
States authorizes more financial aid to state students
However, some states are increasing the amount the financial aid that they are offering to students in an effort to help offset the increasing cost of higher education.
Recent changes in legislation will give students who are attending a state-funded four-year school scholarship a boost of $60 per year, The Daily Dunklin Democrat reports.
Officials told the news source that individual scholarships will increase from $950 to $1,010, as a result of fewer students taking advantage of aid programs.
Moreover, the Individual Access Missouri award amounts will increase from $275 to $470 annually at two-years schools. Meanwhile, students at independent four-year institutions will see a boost from $1,900 to $2,160 per year.
"This year it was clear we had additional funds, and they needed to be distributed back to students," Leroy Wade, assistant commissioner for financial assistance for the Missouri Department of Higher Education, told the news source. "In these times, they certainly have needed it. It could help students buy one more book for class, if nothing else."
Online school introduces monthly payment model
Similarly, Ashworth College, which is an online school, recently unveiled a new pay-as-you-go model to allow students to graduate with as little debt as possible.
Online schools often have the advantage of lower overhead costs than traditional schools because they do not build multiple campuses to reach new students. As a result, these institutions can pass these savings on to enrollees.
Officials said that the school will offer a pay-as-you-go model for students that will allow students to make monthly payments while they pursue a degree.
They added that students could leave with a degree and not have the debt that many graduates of traditional schools accrue throughout their education.
"Unless a student was to incur late fees, Ashworth's tuition price at the time of enrollment is the same amount that student will have paid over the course of the program," said Leslie Gargiulo, vice president of education for the school. "It is conceivable that an Ashworth graduate will be able to start life post-graduation thousands of dollars ahead of those who took out student loans."
According to The National Center for Education, approximately two-thirds of all undergraduates received financial aid in 2007-08.
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Experts say that higher education is an investment in an individual's future. However, the upfront and subsequent costs of attending college can dissuade many from pursuing a degree. Most students need to take out loans to pay for their schooling, and end up accruing overwhelming interest and debt.
However, some online schools, such as Ashworth College, are offering students an alternative method to pay for higher education with the pay-as-you-go model. Officials said that because they can operate with low overhead as compared to traditional schools and can set tuition at a more reasonable price.
"What we offer is a significant advantage for our students," said Leslie Gargiulo, vice president of education for the school. "Students make monthly payments, usually under $50 a month, and have the peace of mind of knowing that a student loan payment will not be waiting for them after graduation."
According to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning, nearly 30 percent of all college and university students in the U.S. participate in at least one web-based course.
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