April 11, 2005
The University of Virginia Board of Visitors agreed upon the new price of education. Tuition and fees for in-state students jumped almost nine percent, making their total semester tuition just $7,180.
"As in-staters we're not paying that much and any increase that's going to a beneficial increase to the school, I'm all for it," said UVa student Rishi Pahuja.
"Being in-state it's not as much as out-of-state, so I feel a little bit more sorry for the out of state people because they're already paying so much money and they have to keep increasing it more and more every year," said UVa student Shawn Holt.
So how much are the out-of-state students paying? Their tuition and fees jumped a lower percentage, just over 6.2 percent. But their current tuition is higher, meaning students will now be paying an additional $1,400 per-semester.
"That sucks. My parents are going to be really upset, but the thing is that it's the cheapest school out of state, public-wise," said 3rd year UVa student Jenny Avernook.
"I would really call your attention to the rankings of the top-25 institutions and there you will see that the University of Virginia has consistently been categorized as the most efficient institution among those top-25," explained Chief of Operations Officer Leonard Sandridge.
Even though the numbers may seem high, it's actually the smallest tuition increase in three years.
"I think it's good for the University if it gives them more money and the other hand it's not great for our parents or the kids who have to pay for their own tuition," said student Alex Mendez. "That can be a burden for people who have to take out loans or are scraping the money together to come to this wonderful university."
But it's those people who may actually benefit from the tuition increase. The University is expecting to raise financial assistance by 17 to 18 percent next year.
"We're bringing in additional scholarship and grant support for students on a year by year basis, so in a period of four years we will have added close to twenty million dollars for financial aid," said Sandridge.
This money will especially benefit incoming students who are part of AccessUVa, which provides substantial financial assistance for those who qualify.
