Some incoming out-of-state students will see their tuition sliced by more than one-third because of a student exchange program Ball State University will enter in the fall.
Colleges in eight Midwest states - Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin - are taking part in the Midwest Student Exchange Program to promote ethnic and geographic diversity.
If the exchange program was in place this year, out-of-state tuition for students from participating states would see their tuition cut by $7,500 - from $18,000 to $10,500.
Participating in this exchange promotes the university's goals for increasing diversity. The current out-of-state enrollment is 11.8 percent and minority enrollment is 9.4 percent. Ball State hopes to raise both of these statistics to 15 percent by 2012, Tom Taylor, vice president of enrollment, said.
"This is a good fit with our strategic plan: to grow selectively, slightly not drastically," Taylor said. "It's an opportunity to attract strong students from the midwest."
However, not all students who apply through this program will be given reduced tuition, he said.
"We prefer that students have a high school GPA of 3.0 and high test scores," Taylor said. "We are also looking for achievements comparable to the Indiana Academic Honors diploma."
Taylor said it was unfortunate that states such as Illinois and Ohio decided not to participate in the program.
Indiana State and Purdue North Central are also participating in the exchange. Participation in this exchange program is determined by the Indiana State Commission for Higher Education.
Taylor said he plans to recruit heavily in Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri. He believes that other participating schools will also see this exchange as a way to establish themselves as a school with strong students and geographic diversity.
Depending on variations in next year's in-state tuition costs, Ball State will lose about $7,500 for every out-of-state student enrolled in the exchange program, Taylor said.
"This program will yield a relatively small profit," he said.
Taylor said there is still some capacity to bring on more students, and he said the increase in strong students from across the midwest will outweigh the loss in revenue.
Taylor said Ball State is always looking to attract students from around the country.
"We try to be strategic in what we do," he said.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
