BLUFFTON — Bluffton University is striving to make its educational offerings more affordable.
To do that, the university will soon offer its Tuition Equalization Program, allowing students to attend for the same cost as a public state school.
The university devised the program after hearing for years from visiting students that they would like to attend a private university, like Bluffton, but were deterred by the cost, said Erin Burkholder, associate director of admissions at the university.
“We really want to make a private education affordable,” she said.
The program starts for incoming freshmen and transfer students enrolling at the beginning of the 2016 to 2017 school year.
Students will be able to attend the university for around $11,000 a year, the average cost of four nearby state schools. That’s a savings of about $19,000 per year, as Bluffton’s tuition costs about $30,000 a year before the program.
Bluffton University averaged the tuition costs of Bowling Green State University, Miami University, University of Cincinnati and the Ohio State University — all schools students say they chose instead of Bluffton due to price — and got the $11,000 figure, Burkholder said.
Grants and scholarships, funded through a variety of sources, are how the program is possible and they cover the difference, Burkholder said.
“You don’t have to limit the schools you can go to,” said Ron Headings, the university’s vice president for enrollment management and marketing, in a statement. “Now you can experience a quality private education at the cost of a state school.”
The school’s enrollment is at about 1,100 students this year, and with the program, Burkholder expects it to increase.
The funding is guaranteed for all incoming students and can last the entire four years if they keep a certain minimum Grade Point Average, which is determined based on the student’s scholarship level, she said.
To qualify for the program, students must have a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher and a score of at least 22 on the ACT or 1020 on the SAT, according to a release from the university.
“The average student here at Bluffton is eligible,” Burkholder said. “I’d just encourage people to look into the program, to come to campus and see if it’s a good fit for them.”
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