COOL STUFF

COST COMPARISON

Comparing Iowa Private Colleges and Universities to Major University:

1. Have a free, no-obligation chat with the financial aid specialists at any of the 29 Iowa private colleges and universities. They'll give you an idea of how much you'll have to pay out of pocket after deducting financial aid.
2. Multiply that number by four.
3. Find out how much you'd have to pay to attend Major University.
4. Multiply that number by FIVE. Why five? Because: 60% of the students at selective Iowa private colleges and universities earn their bachelor's degrees in four years compared to 33% of all Iowa four-year state university students. Odds are pretty good you'll be on the five-year plan at Major U.
5. While your huge university buddies write their checks for year five, you'll likely be cashing paychecks from your first job. Plus you'll be adding a year's experience to your resume.

We bet after you add up all that, private and public will be really close in the actual costs you pay.

But cost is only one part of the value equation, of course. The other — and more important of the two — is overall quality of the experience and education.