Del Mar’s Board of Regents recently voted in favor of a $2 per credit hour tuition increase for the 2020-21 school year.
It’s a small price to pay for additional services such as golf carts, financial aid workshops and free transcripts for students and alumni.
The increase is expected to generate an annual average of $343,080 in revenue for the college, Chief Financial Officer Raul Garcia told regents at the meeting. The 7-1 motion did leave one regent against the idea.
The $2 increase is not a huge jump, considering most full-time students will only be paying an average of $24 more per semester. Previous years have seen an increase of up to $11 per credit hour.
Del Mar is still relatively inexpensive compared with other schools. This cost makes it easier for students to attend and not have to worry about going into debt like you would at some four-year universities. Some universities will charge about $10,000 or more for tuition per semester; Del Mar charges a fraction of that cost, even after including the increase. The low cost is what keeps students coming back.
Del Mar has always been student friendly, meaning it has many services that directly benefit students. It has the Math Learning Center and the Stone Writing Center, which help students with their academics. Del Mar even has free counseling for students, from one-on-one to couple’s counseling. All of these services make Del Mar an inviting school.
The tuition increase will boost services around campus, which will benefit students. There is no negative to that. Many students use these services daily. Most attendees would rather pay the extra money than lose the benefits Del Mar offers. Students still find this to be one of the best community colleges in the area.
The money students pay will be returned to them when they see it around campus. More opportunities will arise for Del Mar students. The increase in tuition is going to directly be an advantage for all students on campus. It will go straight back to them so they can continue to have these services.
The increase isn’t for superficial reasons, it’s to make sure students can get the best out of their education. The increase is a good thing as long as Del Mar continues to provide helpful services and even add new ones, and at the end of the day, it is only $2 per credit hour.
The Board of Regents understands very well this institution is known for many things, with the main one being its affordability.
