This spring, students may have a little more change in their pockets weighing them down, thanks to a tuition decrease.
Yep, you read that correctly. A decrease in tuition.
Why? Because Daytona State College actually cares about their students. In fact, it is the only school in the entire state of Florida to lower its tuition. The decrease comes after a voluntary five-year tuition freeze. The decision was unanimous among all nine members of the District Board of Trustees and came after the suggestion of the school’s recently appointed president Dr. Tom LoBasso.
That alone is enough to make anyone all warm and fuzzy with school spirit.
“This is a way to give back to our students,” LoBasso said in a press release announcing the decision. “The college as a whole would like to make sure that education is affordable and accessible to all who come here.”
Insert here the amazing nugget of information that DSC is already earmarked as one of the most inexpensive colleges in the entire nation. A four-year degree costs 51 percent less than other four-year state colleges and universities nationwide. In Florida, Daytona State is ranked 20th as the least expensive college out of 137. Not bad.
So how much will students save? With the District Board of Trustees approving the generous two percent decrease, that averages out to over two dollars a credit hour. A full-time student can expect to see a savings of up to $31 per semester.
That can really add up. With almost 28,000 students enrolled at Daytona State, total savings to students add up to an impressive number. Up to $868,000 to be exact.
Anyone wishing they could have saved a little bit of cash this semester? They already did. According to the Florida Department of Revenue, after July 1, students did not pay a single cent of tax on those required text books they have been lugging around all over campus. They will not pay any tax until July 1, 2016. The bill was proposed, passed and then signed by Gov. Rick Scott as a way to give much needed monetary relief to college students and made Florida the 28th state to offer similar legislation.
It may only add up to $30 for most students, but savings are always something to smile about.