The University announced Wednesday that it would be matching the in-state tuition of Rutgers University for qualified incoming freshman. Highly qualified incoming freshman who meet certain criteria in academics, as well as SAT or ACT scores are subject to steep discounts in tuition for their eight semesters at Seton Hall. In total, the University announced the discount would amount to approximately $21,336.
While The Setonian agrees that students should be cut a break, especially in the difficult economic climate, we must also ask, where has this been for the past four years? Why now, after years of an economic recession, is the University deciding that students deserve a break?
Seton Hall has endured tuition increases in the last few years because the University claimed it was necessary in order to continue to offer programs. So again, we are left asking the University, why?
We must also raise concern over current students. Why are in-state students with strong grades not getting a break from tuition? The University is acting quickly to reward students for good work in high school, but as long as they keep a 3.0 in college, they can keep their massive discount. Meanwhile, students who have 3.8 or 3.9 GPAs since coming to Seton Hall are expected to shell out more money.
While we would like to applaud the University for being pro-active, we are left more frustrated than pleased because there is a sense of unfairness, particularly to students who have racked up tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, in student loans because tuition was three times the cost of an in-state institution. The Setonian thinks more effort needs to be made to help students who have proven themselves at Seton Hall, rather than attempting an enrollment tactic.
