Actual COA for UVA and W&M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too much for public universities.

No it isn’t.

W&M is one of the most expensive for instate in the US. It’s yearly COA is equal to the yearly median income in some parts of Va.

[Anonymous]

DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

Adding--this is at W&M

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something to factor: W&M freezes tuition at your freshman rate for all four years.

Yes they freeze TUITION. They do not freeze fees or room or board.

DS's tuition and fees freshman year: $23400. Tuition and fees senior year: $23812. No, it's not a significant jump, but it is an increase. I couldn't find the historical data for room and board online and I didn't feel like digging through my records.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

Insanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any quality (say the same level as JMU) out of state schools, public or private, that cost less than or only slightly more than William and Mary (exclusive of any kind of aid?) We're in-state in Virginia and have set our budget to be no more or little more than the most expensive in-state school.

WM is expensive for in-state. USF, Tampa, Denver, Muhlenberg, Rollins, all came in at or less than WM. Our experience this year was that where our kid got accepted/rejected was not as predictable as we thought and merit/financial aid packages varied greatly.

With the exception of USF (I'm assuming South Florida, not San Francisco?) all of those schools you listed are private. The cost is the same for "out of state" and "in state."

William & Mary is public

Exactly. So you are comparing apples and Oranges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any quality (say the same level as JMU) out of state schools, public or private, that cost less than or only slightly more than William and Mary (exclusive of any kind of aid?) We're in-state in Virginia and have set our budget to be no more or little more than the most expensive in-state school.

WM is expensive for in-state. USF, Tampa, Denver, Muhlenberg, Rollins, all came in at or less than WM. Our experience this year was that where our kid got accepted/rejected was not as predictable as we thought and merit/financial aid packages varied greatly.

But in terms of educational quality, those schools are all closer to the less expensive JMU than William and Mary, right? Just a guess, but my freshman's grades project to JMU levels, not William and Mary. So I reckon for us, JMU is tje more accurate price comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

Insanity.

Except that a comparable slac like my own is now an obscene $81k a year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

Insanity.

Except that a comparable slac like my own is now an obscene $81k a year

Same. I'm happy to be paying the roughly $40k for W&M next year. It's expensive, yes, but so much cheaper than other options of comparable quality. I think it's roughly on par with what my top-rated SLAC cost 30 years ago!

[Anonymous]

Yes, W&M is a more expensive public, but that’s because of its small size. Look at the various Virginia publics and cost literally decreases with size. There is NO OTHER public university the size of W&M and of similar quality. Even at it’s “high” price it’s a steal, especially if you value close teacher/student relationships and a liberal arts education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, W&M is a more expensive public, but that’s because of its small size. Look at the various Virginia publics and cost literally decreases with size. There is NO OTHER public university the size of W&M and of similar quality. Even at it’s “high” price it’s a steal, especially if you value close teacher/student relationships and a liberal arts education.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, W&M is a more expensive public, but that’s because of its small size. Look at the various Virginia publics and cost literally decreases with size. There is NO OTHER public university the size of W&M and of similar quality. Even at it’s “high” price it’s a steal, especially if you value close teacher/student relationships and a liberal arts education.

+100

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC's (now a senior) actual COA is around 38k--includes tuition, fees, room, board, books and general spending. No meal plan just groceries. Books have cost less than the estimate.
DC has also had a 19/hr 10/hr week research internship for 3 academic years which pays for some of that (along with summer and break jobs).

Insanity.

Except that a comparable slac like my own is now an obscene $81k a year

Same. I'm happy to be paying the roughly $40k for W&M next year. It's expensive, yes, but so much cheaper than other options of comparable quality. I think it's roughly on par with what my top-rated SLAC cost 30 years ago!

+1
There's no other school like it--a rigorous, public SLAC. We think it's a reasonable price for what you get. To get a similar private SLAC, DC would have to have gone down quite a bit in selectivity to get merit aid. There are enough options at different prices and approaches to education in VA in my opinion. Of course I'd be happy if it were cheaper, but I think it's fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior at W&M in the Business School:

Tuition and fees: $23957
Business School "add on" :$5000
Total tuition & fees - $28957

Apartment off campus: $10000 (this is total - includes utilities, non-refundable security deposit, cleaning fee)
"Commuter" meal plan: $2218
Supplemental $ for food: $1600 ($50 a week so he can buy groceries)
Graduation fee: $145

Total: $42420

If DS were on campus in the most expensive dorm, with the full meal plan, his living expenses would be $15034, so we're "saving" 1200 by having him living off campus. DS did not get a car until he moved off campus. We do not pay for his gas - he has a part time job off campus. I do fill up his car when he's home and headed back to school, but that's only a couple of times a year. We also don't give him spending money. He uses his part time job and summer job for spending money. I do buy him a large supply of toiletries to send him off to school.

His first two years, he took the train to come home. I would buy tickets way in advance, so it would cost $70 round trip. He did the trip four times a year (fall break, Thanksgiving, winter break and spring break.)

Books: This year, they only cost $180. DS rents most of his textbooks. His books have been very inexpensive.

Actual COA for 2021-22: $42880

Thanks for this and all of you who shared info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any quality (say the same level as JMU) out of state schools, public or private, that cost less than or only slightly more than William and Mary (exclusive of any kind of aid?) We're in-state in Virginia and have set our budget to be no more or little more than the most expensive in-state school.

WM is expensive for in-state. USF, Tampa, Denver, Muhlenberg, Rollins, all came in at or less than WM. Our experience this year was that where our kid got accepted/rejected was not as predictable as we thought and merit/financial aid packages varied greatly.

Most (all?) of the SUNYs and UNC-Asheville are two more publics that are no more expensive for OOS students than W&M is for in-state.