Are Frivolous College Amenities Worth The Extra Tuition?
Tuition rates are going up all over the place, but its not the education itself that’s pushing prices up, it’s the campus extras that are doing the deed. Colleges claim they have to offer attractive amenities to stay competitive, but some colleges are taking extra amenities – and their tuition costs – to the next level. The question is, do students really care about these amenities or would they rather just have lower tuition?
In every aspect of college life, prices are going up. The price of food is rising, so cafeteria costs go up. The price of fuel is rising, so the campus shuttle costs go up. Students demand wireless connections and environmental sustainability, so the cost of new buildings, technology and facilities go up.
But then, there are the little extras that colleges claim they have to offer to be competitive. As mentioned in this article featured in the Denver Post:
“Then there is the burgeoning demand for luxury campus amenities, like the spanking new Academic Village at [Colorado State University], or the food courts, climbing walls, and exercise facilities our students seem to require. Some campuses even offer discounted massages and free Napster accounts. These amenities are, of course, ancillary to the quality of the education our universities provide. Yet provide them we must, or the students will not come. It’s a competitive market, you see.”
So, where does all the money come from to pay for these modern campus additions? Straight from the wallets of the students attending the college.
But do students really care about these extras? I’ve asked a few students what they think:
“As it is, school costs an arm and a leg! Not to mention book prices. I don’t know how much more I could afford. I guess that’s why college students live the way they do. They can’t afford much else. Personally, I don’t need a gym or a special food court. A new dorm is always better than an old dorm, but you’re going to pay for the difference. I guess I would pay for what I could afford but I don’t think that I would drop a couple extra grand to be in a better dorm,” said Florida photography student Laura Cragg.
Sarah Lotfi, a Colorado film student, agrees. “My campus makes us pay for new buildings and now printing paper! The only thing I’d consider paying for would be film cameras so I can actually learn to shoot on film, but then I’m just a biased film studies student.”
Although not all colleges and universities are taking this route, it’s possible that the schools of the future might all include these facilities. Hopefully, the education will continue to be the number one priority, not the extras that might be found on campus.
What do you think?
