Decisions. . .Decisions. . .Decisions. . .D!
Students contemplate academic, life decisions
by Nick Hardwick , Reporter

   After completing their core curriculum or an associate's degree at TCC, many students face the decision of public or private institutions to complete their college education.
   Often students will decide public, with annual tuition under $5,000, for financial reasons or because they think admission requirements at public institutions tend to be less strict than those at private schools.
   However, when students make those decisions, cost should be secondary.
   Roxanna Latifi, a 2003 Cornerstone graduate, said her heart was set on being a horned frog, so she transferred to Texas Christian University.
   Latifi credits her education at TCC for helping her obtain the financial assistance to make her transfer possible.
   "We all know how expensive private schools can get, but hard work and determination at TCC gave me a solid and promising stepping stool to obtain funding for TCU," she said.
   Being a Cornerstone (honors program) student, Latifi said, provided her with a major advantage when transferring to TCU.
   "TCU didn't overlook the hard work we put in," she said. "They were aware and happy to have me apply from TCC."
   Katherine (KC) Jones, former TCC student, was awarded the chancellor's scholarship when she transferred to TCU in 2002.
   She spent hours researching colleges, programs and finances, deciding a top-notch educational program should be the number one criterion.
   "Students should really look at the department they want a degree from.
   "Many schools excel in different curriculum regardless of cost," she said.
  Jones said a state school might offer a very good program at a fraction of the cost or a private school someone has his heart set on might not invest much in that academic area.
   "Students should be open to attending several different schools," she said.
   The quality of teachers and programs at public universities are no different than those at private schools.
   Class sizes are the main difference. At private schools, with class sizes under 30 students, students may have more opportunities for individualized attention from faculty while at a public school, class size could exceed 100 people.
   Susan Roberts, transfer admissions counselor at Texas Wesleyan University, emphasized Wesleyan's small class sizes.
   "There are only 20 to 25 people in a class, and your professor really gets to know you," she said.
   Students also should evaluate their learning capabilities and decide if they can learn in such a large class setting. Some students who find learning difficult may feel overwhelmed or lost in a large class.
   At smaller schools, professors can give more one-on-one attention to student, Roberts said.
   If the school does not fit the student's learning style, the student may not be motivated.
   Students who fail to achieve in a certain kind of institutional setting can jeopardize their grade point average and waste money.
   Students should not be put off by the high cost of a private university. Private schools may have more money to assist students with tuition, sometimes offering as much as $15,000 a year or more.
   Even financial aid offered to private school students through the government can be better than that at a public university.
   "Because our cost is more, there is a lot more money available," Melet Leafgreen, a financial aid counselor at Texas Christian University, said.
   When the government evaluates the financial situations of the student and his/her family, it awards on the basis of need, Leafgreen said.
   The FAFSA people might decide the student's family can afford to pay $6,000 a year, and with public tuition being under that amount, the student would qualify only for loans.
   According to Leafgreen, if that same student attended a private school with much higher tuition, the government could be willing to assist with approximately $9,000.
   Jones changed her timetable for transferring to make sure she was prepared for TCU.
   "I stayed at TCC an extra year while I increased my gpa enough to be considered for scholarships and became involved in organizations that TCU's financial aid department thought were worthy, such as Phi Theta Kappa," she said.
   For those students set on that private school, Jones suggested hitting the Internet for funding ideas since universities award only a few transfer scholarships based on gpa and overall qualifications.
   "The Internet has www.fastweb.com to help students search for funding. It takes time, but there are other scholarships out there," she said.
   Latifi offered another student perspective on making four-year college decisions.
   "If you really want it, do it! If you want to attend a private school but the price tag scares you, get involved in extracurricular activities, make above-average grades and make friends with the faculty and staff at TCC," she said.