In a difficult economic climate, the importance of a strong scholarship program in an institution of higher education is extremely important. With declining financial support from the state, Universities are forced to rely more and more on tuition for operational expenses. Tuition increases are then necessary to keep up with the rising cost of delivering high-quality programs.
A case in point is an announcement of the California Board of Regents approving a 32% undergraduate tuition increase over the next two years. In some states, in-state tuition is still within reach for a significant sector of the population but out-of-state tuition has become a luxury item in most cases. At the same time, public institutions have a societal obligation to provide access to higher education to motivated students whose situation does not allow them to afford four years of tuition and fees. As a scholarship student in my native Mexico, I had the opportunity to attend the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology. Because of the partial scholarship that I received, I accelerated my degree and finished in 3.5 years in order to contribute of my family finances instead of draining them.
In a recent issue of Newsweek, former US Education Secretary Lamar Alexander made the case for a "three-year solution" to bachelor degrees on the basis of cost-efficiency and the competitive advantage of attracting bright, motivated students. Alexander argues that "the three-year degree could become the higher-education equivalent of the fuel-efficient car." The counter argument is that there are benefits to the full four-year college experience. Looking back, I would have liked to have the flexibility of attending an extra semester to take additional courses, participate in university events and interact with professors and my fellow students.
This is why at the Leeds School one of our primary fundraising activities is to increase our scholarship funds. While I believe that the three-year plan has merits, the savings might not be enough to allow many students with excellent qualifications and attributes the access they deserve to higher education. We believe there is a critical need for a focused effort to secure sufficient resources to provide scholarships.
Please click here to learn more about giving to our scholarship programs.
A case in point is an announcement of the California Board of Regents approving a 32% undergraduate tuition increase over the next two years. In some states, in-state tuition is still within reach for a significant sector of the population but out-of-state tuition has become a luxury item in most cases. At the same time, public institutions have a societal obligation to provide access to higher education to motivated students whose situation does not allow them to afford four years of tuition and fees. As a scholarship student in my native Mexico, I had the opportunity to attend the prestigious Monterrey Institute of Technology. Because of the partial scholarship that I received, I accelerated my degree and finished in 3.5 years in order to contribute of my family finances instead of draining them.
In a recent issue of Newsweek, former US Education Secretary Lamar Alexander made the case for a "three-year solution" to bachelor degrees on the basis of cost-efficiency and the competitive advantage of attracting bright, motivated students. Alexander argues that "the three-year degree could become the higher-education equivalent of the fuel-efficient car." The counter argument is that there are benefits to the full four-year college experience. Looking back, I would have liked to have the flexibility of attending an extra semester to take additional courses, participate in university events and interact with professors and my fellow students.
This is why at the Leeds School one of our primary fundraising activities is to increase our scholarship funds. While I believe that the three-year plan has merits, the savings might not be enough to allow many students with excellent qualifications and attributes the access they deserve to higher education. We believe there is a critical need for a focused effort to secure sufficient resources to provide scholarships.
Please click here to learn more about giving to our scholarship programs.
