10/28/98
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University has joined 46 private and public colleges, universities and associations in Ohio and nearly 1,200 similar groups around the nation to take part in a campaign to enhance public knowledge about financing a college education. "College is Possible," a program supported by the Coalition of America's Colleges and Universities, was launched nationally Tuesday.
Although a recent national survey conducted for the coalition by the American Council on Education suggests that parents and students value a college education, most overestimate the cost of higher education by as much as 200 percent and many are unaware of financial resources available to assist in paying for college. The campaign was created to address this problem and will include efforts by local campuses to reach students and parents in their region.
"There is a limit to how much financial aid we can provide, but we can do a better job of informing people about the actual costs of attending college," said Ohio University President Robert Glidden. "Various studies and surveys have found that most people in the United States estimate the cost of attending a public college or university at twice the actual cost."
According to the coalition, this misconception can cause many people to miss out on the opportunity for a college education because they do not have adequate information about the range of options and sources of help. The students most at risk are minority students, families with low incomes and students whose parents did not attend college.
Officials at Ohio University plan to address the problem through a collaborative effort between the Office of the President, University Relations, the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Office of Admissions. Exact strategies still are being designed, but public awareness efforts will focus on residents in Southeastern Ohio and throughout the state, Glidden said.
Findings from a survey released in May revealed that many Americans are not aware of the wide range of tuition prices and academic experiences among the 3,600 colleges and universities in the United States. Most people do not realize that $60 billion is available to students in financial aid from federal, state, local and institutional sources to help them meet college bills.
More than $108 million in financial assistance was dispersed to Ohio University undergraduates during the 1997-98 academic year. The average financial aid package offered to freshman was about $8,500, and 63 percent of enrolled students received some type of aid, according to Carolyn Sabatino, director of student financial aid at Ohio University.
According to the national survey, seven out of 10 full-time students qualify for financial aid. At private colleges, for example, the average undergraduate receives $9,000 to help pay for college, reducing his or her expenses by almost half. Students at public colleges and universities also receive significant amounts of student aid, further reducing the price of attendance.
"Colleges have an obligation to help Americans become better, more knowledgeable consumers of higher education," said American Council on Education President Stanley O. Ikenberry, who took part in a press conference today in Washington, D.C., announcing the campaign. "No deserving student should be deprived of a college degree because he or she doesn't have the right information. We think this nationwide campaign will help close the information gap."
The "College Is Possible" campaign is slated to run through the year 2000. The program will be supported by a Web site http://www.CollegeIsPossible.org, the U.S. Department of Education's special toll-free number for college information (1-800-433-3243) and a comprehensive resource guide.
The Coalition of America's Colleges and Universities consists of nearly 1,200 colleges, universities and associations across the United States that have come together to help increase public understanding of the financing of higher education.