TLU
	the affordable choice

College is expensive. That’s a given. But if you or anyone you know is considering college, look closely and you’ll see that college – Texas Lutheran University in particular – is affordable, and it is a great investment.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults with a bachelor’s degree will earn about $2.1 million during a 40-year working life, compared to those with only a high school diploma who will earn $1.2 million.

But it is about more than money. Studies have found that a college education means a longer life-span, more satisfying and prestigious employment, a higher appreciation for artistic activities, and a more secure financial future.

So getting a college degree is worth it, but is it affordable? Tuition at TLU is now about $20,000 a year, which is lower than many private colleges. But when a prospective student looks at that price tag, the temptation is to cross TLU off the list.

DON’T!
Thanks to generous donors, TLU offers financial aid packages that often make the final price very affordable – often less expensive than a large, less personal state school.

Last year the average aid package for first-year students at TLU was $15,683, and 95 percent of our students received financial assistance. This includes various scholarships, grants and loans based on academic performance, financial need and other factors.

TLU invites high school seniors who have excelled academically and who have been admitted to TLU by Feb. 1 to apply for academic scholarships called PACE (Pacesetter Award for College Excellence). PACE awards range from $9,000-$16,000 per year for four years. In 2008, 113 PACE scholarships were offered to members of the incoming freshman class.

TLU also gives academic Da capo awards to qualified music majors and the Locus Aduro awards to qualified dramatic media majors. These scholarships also range up to $16,000 per year for four years.

For other students, a range of academic honors scholarships are awarded based on high school performance and SAT/ACT scores. These include the Presidential Scholarship (up to $10,000), Academic Excellence Award (up to $9,000), and the Commendation Award (up to $7,000).

Performance awards are available for both majors and non-majors who perform in choir, band and dramatic media and for students recognized in athletic training, communications and leadership.

A Congregational Aid Program grant is given to students from churches that support TLU through this program. Grants are also available to children of clergy.

In addition, students with financial need can qualify for government grants and low-interest loans. Tuition Equalization Grants (TEG) provide qualifying Texas residents with even more financial aid.

So how does a student know what the real cost of a TLU education will be?

COMPARE!
Once a student has been accepted, a financial package will be offered to the student. That is the time to compare apples to apples and decide exactly what the cost of a TLU education will be. The College Board offers excellent resources for comparing the real cost of college education (www.collegeboard.com).

LOOK AT A COMPARISON BASED ON AVERAGE FIGURES RELEASED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD:

	TLU	UT-Austin	UTSA
Annual tuition cost & fees	$20,970	$7,670	$7,100
Average room and board	$6,600	$8,576	$7,821
COST BEFORE FINANCIAL AID	$27,570	$16,246	$14,921
Non-need based financial aid	$7,438	N/A	$1,570
Need based scholarships, grants	$11,431	$6,800	$4,636
Need based loans	$3,174	$3,800	$2,431
TOTAL COST	$5,527	$5,646	$6,284

Not until a student and the student’s family have done their homework and have all of the packages to consider can a fully informed decision be made on where a student will go to college. While the decision should not be based solely on cost – a college education is far too important – in today’s economy, cost is a factor. But it is possible to find an affordable college that will provide a quality education and that is a perfect fit for the student.

One of the best ways to find the perfect fit is to visit the school. Texas Lutheran offers individual visits for prospective students and their families at any time. Special campus visit days are also scheduled throughout the year. To learn more, click here.