Slide sources:
The average cost of college tuition, move.org/college-tuition-costs-by-state/.
How much does college cost in the US? All you need to know, https://thecollegepost.com/cost-of-college/.
Script:
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, out-of-state students’ tuition is almost always at least double that of residents. This project examines the impacts of the financial and extraneous stress of out-of-state students by addressing the question, “How does the added factor of out-of-state tuition affect the mental health of UNC students who are not residents of North Carolina?” Specifically, I analyzed secondary sources and opinions of out-of-state students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to show the negative implications of financial stress due to out-of-state tuition.
According to previous research, “students with higher financial stress are at risk for a number of negative outcomes” (Britt et al., 2016, p. 180); hence, financial stress is a significant factor in the well-being of college students. When comparing this to the testaments of the out-of-state students at UNC Chapel Hill, this implication completely counteracts the students’ decisions to attend the institution because their financial stress prevents them from obtaining the academic experience that is at the core of their decision. Student M claims, “Thinking about having to worry about my student debt from undergrad alone makes me stress myself out because all I can think about is how I still have grad school after.”
Other stressors affecting out-of-state students may include the lack of a support system and the pressure to meet new people. Subject F, an out-of-state student, indicated that “it was very intimidating coming to a state school where the majority of people already know each other.” This shows how not only financial factors, but also social factors affect the mental health of out-of-state students.
I argue out-of-state tuition causes added financial stress to out-of-state students and negatively impacts their mental health, which reduces the quality of their college experiences. State institutions should consider the idea of providing out-of-state students with additional financial aid as well as opportunities to mitigate the cost of their education to minimize this problem. The most practical solution to this problem is to increase availability to financial aid resources for out-of-state students. “Increasing available financial resources to students, in addition to providing opportunities to increase financial knowledge … would likely be associated with decreased stress and better academic achievement” (Britt et al., 2016, p. 1).
Another solution can be legislation; in New York the Excelsior Scholarship is a tuition-free degree program for NY residents who sign a contract to attend a state school and work in New York for a “required number of years after graduation as a condition of receiving the award” (Excelsior). A national scholarship, similar to the Excelsior, awarded to students attending out-of-state institutions who agree to work in the state of their institution for a number of years after receiving a degree may be another solution. In conclusion, the impact of financial stress on out-of-state students’ mental health and academic/social lives sheds light on the necessity of a solution to mitigate the cost of out-of-state tuition at state institutions.
Explication of Research:
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, out-of-state students’ tuition is almost always at least double that of residents. Though there are resources addressing the difference in tuition, there is a lack of information regarding the health, academic, and social impacts of financial stress experienced by out-of-state students at UNC as a direct result of their tuition. Analyzing various secondary sources regarding the financial stress of college students and several interviews of both in- and out-of-state students, it is clear that out-of-state tuition causes added financial stress to out-of-state students and negatively impacts their mental health, which reduces the quality of their academic/social experiences. State institutions should consider the idea of providing out-of-state students with additional financial aid as well as opportunities to mitigate the cost of their education to minimize this problem.
The difference between in- and out-of-state tuition at state institutions is a widely accepted idea. However, there is minimal consideration as to how higher tuition affects the mental health of out-of-state students. The tuition creates financial stress which adds to a myriad of other present stressors affecting college students. According to previous research, “students with higher financial stress are at risk for a number of negative outcomes, such as reduced grades (Northern et al., 2010), leaving college (Roberts et al., 2000), and reduced physical (Roberts et al., 2000) and mental health (Hyun et al., 2006)” , (Britt et al., 2016, p. 180); hence, financial stress is a significant factor in the well-being of college students. When comparing this to the testaments of the out-of-state students at UNC Chapel Hill, this implication completely counteracts the students’ decisions to attend the institution because their financial stress prevents them from obtaining the academic experience that is at the core of their decision.
Deciding on where to go to college is not a simple decision for a teenager to make. Following much deliberation between family members, friends, and counselors, students finally decide where they will attend college. For a student to choose an institution away from their main support systems, there must be a strong reason justifying this decision. Student A, an out-of-state student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, claims, “For me to choose to come here [UNC] was a decision I wish I had longer than a month or two to make. I ultimately chose to come here because UNC offered the best opportunities for my major. As a pre-med student, it was hard for me to pass up the chance to study in the Research Triangle.” This was a pattern noticed in the responses of other interviewed students; though they weren’t all pre-medical students, all interviewed students mentioned something along the lines of opportunities that corresponded to their major. The burden of having to be truly independent for the first time and being away from sources of support are concerns experienced by many out-of-state college students.
Another study conducted by evaluating the mental health of medical school patients concluded that “student debt is negatively associated with mental well-being, academic outcomes” (Pisaniello et al., 2019, p. 13). This stress, experienced by both undergraduate and graduate students, is a combination of financial and academic stress as well as the lack of financial resources such as financial aid, work-study, etc. According to a study conducted regarding the coping strategies of college students, “financial and life stressors, higher subjective financial knowledge, fewer financial resources, negative perceptions, and lower mastery are associated with higher financial stress” (Britt et al., 2016, p. 172). The effects of this can be seen in the academic performance as well as the mental health of out-of-state students. Student M claims, “Thinking about my student debt from undergrad alone stresses me out because all I can think about is how I still have grad school.” Another student, Student J, said, “It’s very hard for me to forget my other college decisions that would’ve saved me a lot more money. Being at UNC, where there’s an 80/20 split between in- and out-of-state students, and surrounded by NC residents constantly reminds me of how they are paying less than half my tuition.” Clearly “the effects of this debt are significant and myriad; it can negatively impact mental health and academic performance” (Pisaniello et al., 2019, p. 1).
In addition to financial stress, out-of-state students experience stress from factors including academic stress, the lack of a support system, and the pressure to meet new people. Student D, an in-state student at UNC Chapel Hill, indicated that they “felt very comfortable coming to college knowing they already knew a good amount of people and had a lot of friends.” Alternatively, Student F, an out-of-state student, indicated that “it was very intimidating coming to a state school where the majority of people already know each other.” This shows how not only financial factors, but also social factors affect the mental health of out-of-state students. The added pressure of having to meet new people seems to be another lingering factor contributing to the stress of out-of-state students. Student M, on the matter of support systems, said, “I knew I was far from my family, but the worst part was the little things I was missing. I wasn’t coming home to my dad asking me how my day was. There was no one to make me tea the night before my exam like my mom used to.” Evidently, the lack of a support system and the absence of regularities in the life of an out-of-state student takes a burden on their mental health.
Change is necessary to prevent the effects of financial stressors, as well as other stressors, on out-of-state students and their mental health. The most practical solution is to increase availability to financial aid resources for out-of-state students whether it be advising, financial aid, work study, etc. “Increasing available financial resources to students, in addition to providing opportunities to increase financial knowledge for students, would likely be associated with decreased stress and better academic achievement” (Britt et al., 2016, p. 1). Another solution can be legislation; in New York, the government passed legislation regarding the Excelsior Scholarship which is a tuition-free degree program for NY residents who sign a contract to attend a state school and work in New York for a “required number of years after graduation as a condition of receiving the award” (Excelsior). Therefore, a national scholarship, similar to the Excelsior, awarded to students attending out-of-state institutions who agree to work in the state of their institution for a number of years after receiving a degree may be a solution to mitigate the cost of out-of-state tuition. Though they don’t pay state taxes for residency, out-of-state students seek the same quality of opportunities and education as in-state students, and the decision to move away from home is not easy, especially when anticipating financial distress. In conclusion, the impact of financial stress on out-of-state students’ mental health and academic/social lives sheds light on the necessity of a solution to mitigate the cost of out-of-state tuition at state institutions.
References
At least 50 public colleges have cut out-of-state tuition. (2016). The Chronicle of Higher Education, 63(16),A3. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A474717413/BICu=unc_main&sid=summon&xid=ee6906a8.
Britt, S. L., Mendiola, M. R., Schink, G. H., Tibbetts, R. H., & Jonese, S. H. (2016). Financial stress, coping strategy, and academic achievement of college students. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, 27(2), 172-183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/1052-3073.27.2.172.
Dickeson, R.C. Rising college costs threaten America’s future and require shared solution. (2004). Lumina Foundation. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED497036.pdf.
Excelsior Scholarship Program. Higher Education Services Corporation. https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html.
Hyun, J. K., Quinn, B. C., Madon, T., & Lustig, S. (2006). Graduate student mental health: Needs assessment and utilization of counseling services. Journal of College Student Development, 47(3), 247-266.
Northern, J. J., O’Brien, W. H., & Goetz, P W. (2010). The development, evaluation, and validation of a financial stress scale for undergraduate students. Journal of College Student Development, 51(1), 79-92.
Pisaniello, M. S., Adon, T. A., Bacchi, S., Wagner, M., Perry, S. W., Ma-Li, W., & Licinio, J. (2019). Effect of medical student debt on mental health, academic performance and specialty choice: a systematic review. BMJ Open, 9(7). http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029980.
Roberts, R., Golding, J., Towell, T., Reid, S., Woodford, S., & Vetere, A. (2000). Mental and physical health in students: The role of economic disturbances. British Journal of Health Psychology, 5(3), 289-297.
Featured Image Source:
Public schools with the best the tuition deals for out-of-state students, https://www.collegexpress.com/interests/public-colleges-and-universities/articles/find-public-college-or-university/public-schools-best-tuition-deals-out-state-students/.