College Tuition: Buying Your Approval

Michaela Kane

We passed through the gate that led up the long stretch of road guided by old-school lampposts and rolling fields of grass.  Atop a bright green hill in the distance was what looked like a mansion: a two story brick building with pillars hoisting up the overhanging roof.  Warm rays from the sun reflected off glossy “Welcome” signs, adding to the clear, clean air on an unusually warm February day.

Continuing along the winding road to my potential future at Stonehill College, we finally reached the parking lot of our destination, only to find it lined with cars in every available spot.  We were directed to another one not too far away,  just past the large W.B Mason Stadium.  My parents found a spot in a much larger parking lot than the first,  allowing us to finally make our way to the athletics building of the college- an impressive two story facility with glass panels facing the stadium so spectators can watch any game while running on one of several treadmills.  Lining the walkway were several banners that read, “Welcome Class of 2020,” big and grand for all to see.

I was directed to the sign-in area containing roughly 500 alphabetically ordered names spanning about ten rectangular tables.  After stating my name and patiently waiting for the woman from admissions to find it among the vast number of students, I was given a gift bag and sent on my way to the gymnasium.  Once I entered, it took me a moment to take in the scene that was before me.  Two large screens displayed pictures of smiling students from the college throughout campus, about 1,500 chairs lined half of the gym for the admitted students and their parents, the other half was occupied by dining tables and information booths, all the while the harmonizing sound of an acapella group filled the air.

It took some time to find a seat for the three of us among all the families spaced out between rows upon rows of folding chairs, but once we did, I was finally given the chance to open the gift bag.  The purple drawstring bag contained a high quality travel mug, a notepad and pen bearing the school’s name, a lanyard, and a folder containing information about events planned for the day.  Welcome Day started with information sessions regarding each individual major, followed by an elaborate walk through of the dormitories and the various academic departments.  These long hours I spent on campus gave me time to reflect on the modern buildings with well kept grounds and the gifts I received, making me wonder, how much of my tuition will actually be spent on my education?

W.B Mason Stadium, the multi use, artificial turf stadium we had passed is home to several of the school’s sports.  The $4 million project was obviously very costly, but seemed to be worth it.  Just seeing the stadium, athletes looking to attend the college hunger for the chance to play in it.  This is also true for other colleges and universities across the nation.  The Washington Post reviewed forty-eight athletic departments from five of the wealthiest conferences known in college sports.In 2014 alone, the finances from these schools recorded a combined $772 million spent on their athletic facilities, an overall 89% increase from the $408 million used in 2004.  These expenses come out of the tuition of students at each college, even if they do not personally participate in collegiate sports, causing each individual student’s tuition to ratchet even up even higher.

In order to establish teams to play in the colossal stadiums, schools also need to hire coaches to lead their teams to success. Football, of course, is the most popular sport at the college level, and also the most costly.  Top football coaches can earn up to $2 million, sometimes even more, according to Business Insider. As reported by Sports Illustrated, the head coach of Michigan State, Mark Dantonio, was just given a pay raise- he now earns $4.3 million per season.  Although Dantonio earns a fortune, he is not even the highest paid coach in the NCAA.  Nick Saban, coach of Alabama Crimson Tide, earns the most at $7 million per season.  USA Today reported the annual average salary for major colleges is currently at $1.6 million.  Not every school has the money to pay their coaches millions, but the NCAA collected records show schools pay anywhere from $10,000-$100,000. Each school not only fields a football team, but various other varsity teams.  Students end up being the ones to foot most of the bill, collegiate athlete or not.  Schools are not only throwing their money at their football teams, they are also putting large sums into the beautification of their schools in order to sway students’ minds.

Head Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide takes the field with his million dollar team

Michigan State’s $2.2 million dollar stadium holds up to 80,000 fans

Regardless of such infuriating data, the brick buildings scattered all over campus instill in many, including myself, a strange sense of home.  I couldn't help but see myself there next year, even if it is not my top choice.  The campus alone had the ability to bolster my opinion about the school, making all the millions worth it.  Colleges want to spruce up their campuses to show students they are the real deal, adding new living spaces and renovating entire sections of their campuses.  According to EVstudio, building a dormitory alone costs around $220 per square foot in places like Boston.  One of UMass Boston’s new dorm buildings cost $592 per square foot to construct.  UMass plans on spending about half of their operating budget, $1.7 billion, on construction, meanwhile, tuition from the several UMass campuses range from $12,000- $25,000.  Schools, just like the UMass campuses, are spending money on upgrading and adding buildings, leading to a rise in tuition.

Before and after the $185 million science building was finished at UMass Boston

Some thirty years ago, graduating high school seniors were able to pay for their college years from the money they made at minimum wage.  From working a summer job at around $7 an hour, students in the 1970s had enough money to pay for in-state tuition, but such numbers seem unrealistic. Students in the ‘70s, according to ATTN News, only required about eight weeks of work in order to cover the cost of one year at school, but in recent years, students need to put in over a year’s worth of work to foot the bill, even though minimum wage has risen to $10 an hour.  With all the coaches and construction projects to fund, college tuition is now unaffordable for most families, and will soon be too expensive for everyone.

As we drove back through the grand entrance we had entered through, one question still stood between my parents and I: do I want to go here next year?  I thought about the warm feeling of home I had experienced along with the gifts I received, and I actually could see myself going there despite the cost.  They had done what they wanted to do: persuade me with the cash they put into the visit, making all their spending work like they had hoped it would.

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