Two centuries ago, the founders of the University of Virginia started a certain discussion – which has been reignited recently: UVA might be privatized.
As an inexpensive school for in-state students, and ranked third on Top Public Schools in U.S. News Rankings, UVA traditionally has been a popular choice in Langley. Only last year, 130 students applied to UVA from Langley, from which 22 was admitted. Thirteen of them are now attending UVA.
However, there is an ongoing buzz about UVA attempting to transform into a private institution – which means no more cheaper tuition for state students. In order to become private, the suggestion must be approved by the state. The proposal has been met with mixed feelings.
A Langley alum and current sophomore at UVA, Morgan Sasser believes that the school should remain a public institution. “UVA is a beautiful school with amazing professors and a wonderful student body; it already has everything it needs to attract the best students in the country,” she said.
Since 70% of its applicants pay in-state tuition, UVA is currently examining ways to increase its revenue, as it is experiencing decreases in federal and state funding. According to the UVA official website, the estimated cost of attendance is $26,276 for in-state students, while it is $53,942 for out-state students.
The University had implemented a program known as AccessUVa for low-income students who cannot afford the tuition. “Students can essentially go for free, with very few or no loans. I think that [program] is starting to go away already. They’re in crisis, and I’m guessing they’ve been looking at their options for a while, but perhaps the state will be able to step in and provide more money,” said Ms. Hannah Wolff, Langley Career Center Specialist.
According to counselor Ms. Katharine Parrott, UVA’s decision boils down to one question: “The question of whether this will happen or not is whether UVA would want to be known for educating the best minds of Virginia, or known as a top-tier university that focuses on educating the best minds in the country.”