College is more affordable and accessible than Indiana residents think, Terry Stradlin, co-author of a survey conducted by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, said.
While 98 percent of the 906 Hoosiers surveyed said a college education is somewhat to very important, there is still a considerable misunderstanding of the cost of a four year education said Jeff Stanley, associate commissioner for policy and planning at Indiana Commission for Higher Education.
The commission funded and helped draft the survey as part of their strategic plan, "Reaching Higher: Strategic Directions for Higher Education in Indiana."
The 17-question survey covered value and importance, quality, accessibility and affordability, and priority and choices when it comes to a college education.
"Respondents are really not sure how much college tuition and fees cost today," the report said.
As a result, colleges need to do a better job of helping families understand and predict the costs of a college education, Stanley said.
"Never let funding be a barrier to education," he said.
Ball State's in-state tuition for the 2007-08 academic year is $6,672. Indiana University students will pay $7,837 for the year and Purdue University students will pay $7,416.
Preparation for college should begin as early as middle school or even elementary years through investments such as the 529 college savings plan, Stanley said.
The 529 plan allows parents to invest money in either age-based or custom portfolios.
The money can then be withdrawn, free from federal tax, when the child is ready to enroll in any state, private, vocational or technical school.
While Stradlin said affordability remains more important than the quality of the university, 85 percent of those surveyed said the affordability should increase without affecting the quality.
An affordable option is taking classes at a community college for less before transferring to a state level school, he said.
For a university such as Ball State, the survey should serve to reaffirm what is already known about enrollment trends over the last few years, Stanley said.
While Ball State's Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications could not be reached for comment, the report found the rate of Indiana high school students attending college increased 12 percent over the last 12 years, from 50 percent in 1992 to 62 percent in 2004.
The increasing importance of a college education is due to changes in Indiana's economy, technology and competition from other states, Stradlin said.
Stanley also attributes the change to economic factors, such as a decline in manufacturing jobs across the state.
"You wouldn't see the same results a few years ago," he said.
The report found 85 percent of those surveyed said a college education is more important now than it was 20 years ago.
The survey is a first for the state and the results could cause decision-makers to change policies and programs, Stradlin said.
For example, the results could lead the state to base funding off of both enrollment and graduation numbers rather than just enrollment, he said.
While the survey could lead to more funding, most citizens agreed more information about applying for college and financial aid is needed, Stradlin said.
The survey will be conducted again next year and on a biannual basis after that, Stanley said.
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