Tweet
Western states woo students with WUE tuition discounts
by Carol Harrison, 12/14/2005
The Eureka Reporter - Eureka,CA
http://www.eurekareporter.com/Articl...ArticleID=6456
While many local high school seniors are familiar with a discounted tuition program for attending Southern Oregon University, far fewer hear about the Western Undergraduate Exchange program that offers Californians discounted tuition to 29 four-year colleges and 14 two-year-colleges in Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.
A WUE student qualifies for tuition at 150 percent of resident tuition. A senior at Fortuna High School could head to the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu and save $4,776 annually in nonresident tuition costs.
That same student could attend college in South Dakota with a tuition bill roughly $400 more — and a cost of living significantly less — than staying home in Arcata.
The participating schools have a range of requirements and deadlines for incoming freshmen and transfers. The Web site of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (www.wiche.edu), which has sponsored the WUE program for the past 17 years, contains specific details and contacts.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of it,” said Eureka High School college counselor Ron Diaz.
“I haven’t had one get (a WUE grant) yet,” said Karla Austin, the Fortuna High School counselor who is in charge of shepherding this year’s senior class through the college application process. “It always looks like a good deal, but it’s not publicized much and sometimes you have to meet qualifications.
“I’ve never heard of it,” said Geri Wood, an academic counselor for the past 11 years at McKinleyville High School. “I know the students don’t know about it because generally, they rely on us for information.”
California is one of 15 western schools participating in the WUE program. According to the WICHE Web site, 1,019 Californians took part in Hawaii’s WUE program in 2004-05, saving $4.786 million in tuition at the campuses in Honolulu, Oahu and Hilo, Hawaii.
Overall, 1,615 California students participate, with North Dakota attracting the second largest Golden State contingent at 194 students, 81 of whom chose the University of North Dakota.
South Dakota has 133 Californians enrolled as the WUE tuition of $3,558 prevails at six four-year colleges, all of which are in areas with cheaper costs of living than most California locales.
The University of Hawaii is the most popular campus to Californians, who make up more than half of the school’s 1,596 WUE participants. Hawaii-Manoa requires a 3.0 GPA with test scores of 23 for each section of the ACT or 1590 (out of 2400) for the SAT. Its sister campus in Hilo lists no specific requirements. Both schools accept transfer students.
Western Washington University has a competitive WUE program open to 35-40 students annually with a Feb. 15 application deadline.
Central Washington University, however, does not list enrollment limits and develops an academic index combining GPA and test scores. A 3.23 GPA and 1000 SAT and application by a Feb. 15 deadline do the trick.
Interested students should note that some programs require students to specifically request consideration and/or application of the WUE program to be considered. In other words, an ignorant Californian who applies to Eastern Washington or the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and doesn’t request consideration will be hit with the usual nonresident bill.
The program is not a wise choice for everyone.
“The number of good colleges and universities in California keep most people here, and the fact that Cal Grants can only be used in-state also makes a difference,” Diaz said.
Diaz said the Cal Grant is an entitlement program that provides $2,500 for tuition and fees to California State University attendees, $6,100 to those at the University of California and more to those at private schools.
The WUE program has been largely unknown on the North Coast, even to Humboldt State University and the CSU system. The only California school to offer discount tuition to other WICHE members is the CSU’s California Maritime Academy, which counts 112 students saving almost $1 million through the program.
That will change beginning in fall of 2006 when Humboldt State University, CSU Chico and CSU Stanislaus offer WUE tuition discounts to students after learning of the program’s possibilities last year. CSU Chico will limit the number to 30 annually while HSU and CSU Stanislaus will extend the offer to all who enroll from one of the other 14 western states participating.
“I wasn’t aware of it, and there was very little awareness of it in the CSU,” HSU Provost Rick Vrem said. “I had no idea it was out there.”
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.
by Carol Harrison, 12/14/2005
The Eureka Reporter - Eureka,CA
http://www.eurekareporter.com/Articl...ArticleID=6456
While many local high school seniors are familiar with a discounted tuition program for attending Southern Oregon University, far fewer hear about the Western Undergraduate Exchange program that offers Californians discounted tuition to 29 four-year colleges and 14 two-year-colleges in Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.
A WUE student qualifies for tuition at 150 percent of resident tuition. A senior at Fortuna High School could head to the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu and save $4,776 annually in nonresident tuition costs.
That same student could attend college in South Dakota with a tuition bill roughly $400 more — and a cost of living significantly less — than staying home in Arcata.
The participating schools have a range of requirements and deadlines for incoming freshmen and transfers. The Web site of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (www.wiche.edu), which has sponsored the WUE program for the past 17 years, contains specific details and contacts.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of it,” said Eureka High School college counselor Ron Diaz.
“I haven’t had one get (a WUE grant) yet,” said Karla Austin, the Fortuna High School counselor who is in charge of shepherding this year’s senior class through the college application process. “It always looks like a good deal, but it’s not publicized much and sometimes you have to meet qualifications.
“I’ve never heard of it,” said Geri Wood, an academic counselor for the past 11 years at McKinleyville High School. “I know the students don’t know about it because generally, they rely on us for information.”
California is one of 15 western schools participating in the WUE program. According to the WICHE Web site, 1,019 Californians took part in Hawaii’s WUE program in 2004-05, saving $4.786 million in tuition at the campuses in Honolulu, Oahu and Hilo, Hawaii.
Overall, 1,615 California students participate, with North Dakota attracting the second largest Golden State contingent at 194 students, 81 of whom chose the University of North Dakota.
South Dakota has 133 Californians enrolled as the WUE tuition of $3,558 prevails at six four-year colleges, all of which are in areas with cheaper costs of living than most California locales.
The University of Hawaii is the most popular campus to Californians, who make up more than half of the school’s 1,596 WUE participants. Hawaii-Manoa requires a 3.0 GPA with test scores of 23 for each section of the ACT or 1590 (out of 2400) for the SAT. Its sister campus in Hilo lists no specific requirements. Both schools accept transfer students.
Western Washington University has a competitive WUE program open to 35-40 students annually with a Feb. 15 application deadline.
Central Washington University, however, does not list enrollment limits and develops an academic index combining GPA and test scores. A 3.23 GPA and 1000 SAT and application by a Feb. 15 deadline do the trick.
Interested students should note that some programs require students to specifically request consideration and/or application of the WUE program to be considered. In other words, an ignorant Californian who applies to Eastern Washington or the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and doesn’t request consideration will be hit with the usual nonresident bill.
The program is not a wise choice for everyone.
“The number of good colleges and universities in California keep most people here, and the fact that Cal Grants can only be used in-state also makes a difference,” Diaz said.
Diaz said the Cal Grant is an entitlement program that provides $2,500 for tuition and fees to California State University attendees, $6,100 to those at the University of California and more to those at private schools.
The WUE program has been largely unknown on the North Coast, even to Humboldt State University and the CSU system. The only California school to offer discount tuition to other WICHE members is the CSU’s California Maritime Academy, which counts 112 students saving almost $1 million through the program.
That will change beginning in fall of 2006 when Humboldt State University, CSU Chico and CSU Stanislaus offer WUE tuition discounts to students after learning of the program’s possibilities last year. CSU Chico will limit the number to 30 annually while HSU and CSU Stanislaus will extend the offer to all who enroll from one of the other 14 western states participating.
“I wasn’t aware of it, and there was very little awareness of it in the CSU,” HSU Provost Rick Vrem said. “I had no idea it was out there.”
Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.