State colleges get look as good value

College-bound students seeking less-costly educational alternatives during the economic downturn are turning their attention to state schools.

Applications at most four-year state colleges in New Jersey and Pennsylvania - and around the nation, for that matter - are up.

Some state schools, including Edinboro and East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania and Montclair, William Paterson, Thomas Edison, and Kean in New Jersey, have charted double-digit increases in applications, while others are reporting larger-than-usual hikes.

But just how many of those applicants will end up choosing a state school by May 1 and how many are only looking for a safe financial backup is uncertain.

In the past, some students applied to state schools as an academic "safety" backup. Now, more appear to be seeking options in case they don't get enough financial aid from their top-choice private school, said Barmak Nassirian, of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers.

"The meaning of safe has changed," he said. "It may well mean that students are hedging their bets financially."

State schools cost less than half the price of many private schools. The average annual cost of tuition, room, and board at the 14 schools in the Pennsylvania state system is $13,794, and their New Jersey counterparts run $19,297. That compares with price tags pushing $50,000 at some private schools.

The burst in state-school applications also comes during a year when more high school students nationally are expected to graduate than in any year since 1977. Nearly half of the 3.3 million are aiming for four-year colleges.

Private-school applications locally are a mixed bag.

Drexel University, which offers students a paid co-op work program, has seen applications jump 36 percent.

Bryn Mawr, a women's college, has had a 6 percent increase in applications, while Rosemont, a small Catholic college going coed in the fall, jumped 77 percent to 958 applications, including more than 200 from men.

"It truly is interest in the coed component that's sparking all of this," said Rosemont spokeswoman Alexis Kropp.

Elsewhere, it's been a different story.

At the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school, applications are almost flat.

Villanova University, where tuition, room, and board, as at Penn, are nearing $50,000 annually, saw a 13 percent decline, the largest of about 35 schools surveyed in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Swarthmore College, with similar tuition, room, and board, dropped nearly 10 percent.

Officials at both schools say they don't expect that the drop in applications will hurt the class' quality. Both have many thousands more applications than spaces.

"The quality of the class is as strong as it has ever been," said Swarthmore's Jim Bock, dean of admissions and financial aid, who noted that the school received 5,627 applications for 390 spots.

"This is still our second-highest year ever" in the number of applications, he said. "So I don't feel less busy."

Officials at Swarthmore and Villanova believe the economy may be driving the drop in part.

"We know there are going to be families that in the past may have applied to Villanova that may decide they're not going to apply to a private school," said George Walter, associate dean of enrollment management at Villanova.

Still, he pointed out that Villanova had received more than 13,000 applications, the third-highest total in the school's history, for 1,630 spots. And the school is boosting its financial-aid budget by 9 percent to help students in need.

Increases in applications at state institutions were more consistent.

Of the 14 universities in the Pennsylvania state system, 12 saw an increase this year, including West Chester at 3 percent and Cheyney at 5 percent. The three state-related universities in the area also saw increases: Temple (1 percent), Pennsylvania State (6 percent), and Lincoln (36 percent).

"It has a lot to do with the economy," said Jeff Jones, director of admissions at East Stroudsburg, where applications are up 13 percent. "But it also has a lot to do with the fact that we focus a great deal on recruiting in Philadelphia, more than we have in the past, and our area of Monroe County is growing so fast."

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in the western part of the state, attributes part of its 7 percent increase in applications to an unprecedented $270 million residence hall replacement project.

Edinboro, where applications are up 18 percent, is drawing more students from Ohio, which is only 25 minutes away.

In New Jersey, state schools also have been seeing increased interest.

Applications for the current freshman class were up 10 percent over the previous year at the nine state-system schools, said Wendy Lang, director of policy and program analysis for the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities. The schools received more than 54,000 applications.

This year, five of the nine schools, including Stockton, are showing increases. The College of New Jersey has stayed flat, and Rowan has had a slight drop, although it expects to break even by its application deadline.

Montclair State University, where tuition, room, and board cost $18,866, has seen a record 20 percent increase in applications. President Susan A. Cole said more students were looking to stay in the state, opting for a less-expensive public-school education.

"There's no question that's happening," she said.

It could make getting into the school with an enrollment of more than 17,400 more competitive, especially in high-demand programs, she said.

Officials at several state schools said they would have increasing trouble accommodating the growth.

"We're doing the best that we can," said Lang, at the state association. "We have a serious capacity issue."

The surge comes on the heels of New Jersey state budget cuts, including a 5 percent proposed decrease for the next fiscal year.

At Ramapo College of New Jersey, while applications are down 8 percent, deposits on enrollment are up 20 percent. The dip is from an unusually high number last year, when applicants filed online with no fees, said Peter Rice, admissions director.

"I don't even want to pick up my phone," said Chris Keller, director of admissions at Bloomsburg University, where applications are up 5 percent. "Everybody's calling to try to get people in the school - alumni, trustees, state senators, congressmen. It's hard to say no to so many people."

Some private schools with special niches are attracting more attention, too.

Drexel has received more than 30,000 applications this year, a 36 percent increase over last year - the largest jump in recent years, said Melissa Englund, assistant vice president for enrollment planning and retention services.

Officials attribute much of the increase to its co-op program, which sets up students in paid internships that can give them an edge later in the job hunt. About 4,200 Drexel students a year participate.

"Many families are seeing the value of a co-op education during these tough economic times," Englund said.

Lincoln University, a state-related, historically black college in Chester County, received 5,382 applications, a 36 percent increase over last year. The school in recent years upgraded its facilities and athletic programs - including returning football to campus and starting a marching band.

"We're using sports as a means to make a more active student life program," said William Bynum, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.

Rutgers University, a state-related school with its main campus in New Brunswick and a regional campus in Camden, saw a slight drop in freshman applications, largely from out-of-state students who must pay more than double the rate of in-state students, said Courtney McAnuff, vice president for enrollment management.

For example, an undergraduate in the school of arts and sciences on the Camden campus pays $4,634 in tuition, while an out-of-state student pays $9,741.

In contrast, the school has seen a rise in transfers to Rutgers, leading officials to believe that students at costlier out-of-state private schools may be coming home, McAnuff said.

Chart: Biggest gainers. A18. EndText