UH has it all when it comes to value
By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Staff Writer
The University of Hawai'i- Manoa has all the things necessary to be rated one of the nation's best values for an undergraduate education, according to a new report from the Princeton Review:
What the Princeton Review says about UH-Manoa: About UH: The university is among the nation's premier research institutions with world-class facilities for the study of marine biology, astronomy and Hawaiian studies, among numerous other areas. Bang for your buck: Tuition and fees are below the national average and they're downright cheap for in-state students. Financial aid: Of the 3,887 students who demonstrated need, UHM offered some form of aid to 95 percent of them. On average, all aid recipients had about 71 percent of their need met through university-dispensed financial aid. On campus life: Students are extremely friendly. Even those who live on or near campus are more likely to head to the beach in their spare time than stick around campus. Who wouldn't?
High-quality academics. Low tuition rates. Plentiful student aid. Low debt for students.
What they said
But if you ask some UH students, there's one thing the prestigious educational services company forgot to include in the ranking system: a good lifestyle.
"I think the quality of education for my specialty is really good and the tuition is reasonable," said Jason Jackson, 28, a graduate student in linguistics. "Then there's the place. I can't surf in Maine or at the New Mexico School of Mines."
Those were two places that The Princeton Review rated above Manoa in its compilation of 81 schools included in its just-released book "America's Best Value Colleges."
"We're really pleased with the notice," UH spokesman Jim Manke said. "It's something potential students consider when they decide which school to attend."
University officials are confident UH will continue to be rated highly in future surveys despite planned increases that could double tuition rates in the next five years.
"We'll still be in the modest range of colleges across the country," Manke said "Essentially, we're playing catch-up with most other places."
Tuition is just one factor the Princeton Review used to determine its rankings. In all, more than 30 areas were considered, including academics, "tuition GPA" (actual price minus the average amount students receive in scholarships and grants), financial aid and student borrowing.
UH students yesterday generally agreed with the "best value" ranking.
"The tuition is going up, but it's still a better deal than other schools I considered," said Anna Miyoshi, a freshman from Pennsylvania studying marketing. Miyoshi said Hawai'i's food, diversity and lifestyle were all part of the reason she chose UH over Mainland colleges.
Sheena Thain, a sophomore studying travel industry management, added another lifestyle intangible that she saw as valuable when choosing UH over other schools: "I really wanted to stay here instead of going to the Mainland."
Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, headed the review's list. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro; Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah; Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.; and the University of California at Los Angeles rounded out the top five schools.
After the top 10, schools including UH were listed alphabetically rather than numerically.
While UH appreciates the honor, it's not likely to cause a rush of new students to the school, Manke said.
"We'll mention it in our presentation to new students, but not in a heavy-handed way. Most students already are pretty akamai about that kind of thing, so it won't have a big impact on the number of applicants we receive," Manke said.
Reach Mike Leidemann at 525-5460 or mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com.
