Page 3
Hie Blue Banner — Sen ing rhe L’ni\ ersin of North (Carolina at Ashe\ ille sinee 1982
NC tuition rates rank top notch with financial website
By Sarah Pardys
Stafp W unts
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance
included UNC Asheville among
the best educational values in pub
lic colleges in the nation, accord
ing to Kiplinger reports.
The financial organization based
its rankings on a survey and
ranked UNC Asheville as the 36th
best educational value for in-state
students and 47th best value for
out-of-state students.
“The state of North Carolina has
always said that they are going to
make sure that public higher edu
cation is affordable and available
to its citizens,” said Scot
Schaeffer, UNC Asheville director
of admissions and financial aid.
“It’s almost like it’s in our char
ter.
For the 2006-07 school year,
UNC Asheville’s tuition for full
time, in-state students is $1,940.75
per semester. For full-time, out-
of-state students, the tuition is
$7,003.25 per semester. In com
parison, UNC Chapel Hill charges
full-time, in-state students
$2,516.54 per semester and
$9,840.54 per semester for full
time, out-of-state students, accord
ing to the UNC Chapel Hill
cashier’s office.
The survey ranks universities
((
99
We have tJie best of both
vrorlds. We have a vibrant
city, but our students are
into the outdoors, too.
Scot Schaeffer
Director of Admi.ssions
based on a number of academic
quahties, including percentage of
the 2005-06 freshman class scor
ing 600 or higher on the verbal and
math components of the SAT (or
scoring 24 or higher on the ACT),
admission rates, freshman reten
tion rates, student-faculty ratio and
four-and-six-year graduation rates,
according to Kiplinger’s Web site.
While Schaeffer believes UNC
Asheville’s affordable tuition
attracts a great number of students,
he attributes other factors to the
school s place in Kiphnger’s rank
ing.
He said attending UNC
Asheville is almost like going to a
small private institution.
The small classes, the individu
alized attention, faculty teaching
the class, not teaching assistants or
paduate assistants are all appeal
ing attributes for students,”
Schaeffer said.
In addition to ciffordability and
individualized attention, location
can play a major role in the deci
sion, according to Schaeffer.
“We have the best of both
worlds. We have a vibrant city
with lots to do, but our students are
into the outdoors, too,” Schaeffer
said.
In her college search, freshman
Baily Griffith wanted to find a
school outside her home state of
Georgia.
“I thought the town (of
Asheville) was kind of interest
ing,” Griffith said.
Freshman and transfer student
Knsten Reeves also considered
location when choosing UNC
Asheville.
“I wanted a variety of places,”
Reeves said.
Reeves applied to schools across
the state, including Davidson
University, Wake Forest
University, and UNC Chapel Hill,
but she ultimately chose UNC
Asheville.
“It’s a small liberal arts college.
It’s in a great place,” Reeves said.
“I love Asheville, and it has every
thing that I was looking for.”
Though Schaeffer said that UNC
Asheville’s students mostly come
from within the state of North
Carolina, the Kiplinger survey also
declared UNC Asheville to be a
good educational value for out-of-
state students for its academic
qualities and its tuition.
“If you were looking at a school
comparable to us, you’re probably
talking even as an out of state stu
dent, instead of a tuition of
$11,000 or $12,000, more like a
tuition of about $26,000 to
Trey Bouvier - Staff Photographer
Larry White, photography professor, works with Melissa Terrezza, senior art education student, left, and Marie Eller, senior sociology student,
after class. One of UNC Asheville’s values is the small classrooms and intimate learning environments, according to Schaeffer.
$30,000,” Schaeffer said.
“There are many things that go
into the ranking and cost is just
one of them,” Schaeffer said. “The
other things that go into it are the
aid that we do give and the quality
of the education that the student is
receiving.”
The Kiplinger list ranks UNC
Asheville alongside other North
Carolina schools, including North
Carolina State University,
Appalachian State University,
UNC Chapel Hill, UNC
Greensboro and UNC Wilmington.
Schaeffer said the fact that so
many North Carolina universities
were included in the list said
something for the system as a
whole.
While the other universities on
the list are reputable institutions,
UNC Asheville draws students
because of its smaller size, accord
ing to Schaeffer.
According to UNC Asheville’s
official Web site, the university
currently enrolls 3,497 students
and employs 204 full-time faculty
members.
‘The most important thing that
we look at (when accepting stu
dents) is the curriculum that the
student has followed when they
were in high school,” Schaeffer
said.
The admissions staff at UNC
Asheville looks for these require
ments along with other special
qualities, according to Schaeffer.
“We really take a look at the total
package,” said Schaeffer.
In reviewing potential students,
the admissions staff looks at the
applicant’s high school curricu
lum, class rank, grade point aver
age, standardized test scores and
extracurricular activities, while
keeping special talents or abilities
in mind.
While Schaeffer does not speak
of an admissions formula, he said
these aspects greatly intluence
admissions decisions.
‘There are a lot of things that go
into it,” Schaeffer said. “1 think
one of the big things why it is such
a best buy is that even for out-of-
state students, it’s still affordable.”
Blue Echo
Hands On
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
“I can’t wait to use the new
equipment,” Griffin said. “The
station is going to have a whole
new feel.”
Griffin, who goes by DJ Lyrical
Clock on his show, can be heard
co-hosting with Davis Sundays
from 10 to 11 p.m. “I am looking
forward to giving away prizes and
having crazy competitions,” said
Davis, who doubles as the library
manager for the station.
The show is more than just
music, according to Griffin.
“If they want some poetic
enlightenment, the best way is to
listen to our show,” Griffin said.
“There is nothing like it.”
Other disc jockeys for the sta
tion, such as freshman Sijal
Nasralla, have similar thoughts on
how to make the show more inter
active.
“I want to make use of the
microphones so I can have people
come in and play their songs on
the air,” Nasralla said.
Student organizations will also
begin advertising and hosting
their own shows on the Blue
Echo. Time slots for these organ
izations run from 3 to 4 p.m.
every day of the week. Currently
confirmed are the Blue Banner
and the Hispanic Outreach for
Learning Awareness.
The biggest challenge faced by
the radio station was recreating
something that had already exist
ed in the past, according to
Bowser.
“A lapse in existence causes
more trouble than starting some
thing new because it shows we
have failed in the past,” Bowser
said.
Even with all of the changes
for the spring semester. Bowser
still has goals for the future,
such as broadcasting on FM by
2010.
“We are looking for more
rewards for DJs to be involved,”
he said. “The Blue Echo would be
more successful if I propose class
credit or stipend for staff mem
bers.”
The Blue Echo belongs in a
radio broadcast degree program,
Czarny said, and DJs deserve
rewards for the effort they put into
their shows.
“I would really like to see it
come under the guidance of a
faculty advisor and department
of mass communication,” he
said.
Czarny wants to make the
Echo an integral part of campus
life.
“Every department and student
organization should be a part of
the Blue Echo because it is a great
format for them to get their infor
mation,” Czarny said.
Bowser remains optimistic
about the future of the station and
said things should only continue
to improve.
“Everything is working,” he
said. “And that is good to know.”
For more information on the
Blue Echo, or to listen, visit
www.theblueecho.com.
still extensive and very costly,
according to the organization.
The Key Center is collaborating
with Habitat for Humanity for
another Hurricane Katrina relief
trip over spring break to New
Orleans, which will co.st $75. All
students interested should go by
the Key Center located in the
Highsmith Student Union for an
application.
Grove
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Department, patrol the site
nightly, allowing us the fastest
possible police presence when
needed,” Wiles said.
Chase, Guske and Walsh said
they wanted to see immediate
action from The Grove after each
incident.
“There should be more open
dialogue with residents,” Walsh
said.
The Grove plans to let Chase out
of her lease this week, according to
Chase.
“I’m very happy about that,”
Chase said.
Plasma Donors
Needed Immediately
Become ADonorToday!
Vbur plasma will be used to make
Life-saving medicines.
New donors make $120 in their first 2 weeks.
(i DoiadoiO
Now Paying Higher Fees to Regular Donors.
Proof Of Current Residence
Within The Last 3^ Days is Required.
Ca/f f^miinnaiion:
8202^-^67
Plasm
iervices
167 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville NC 28801
(pi B« Llie B««6 GoimetPeite CoUt Slop)
Oofjor Safety And Comfort fe Our^l Pnority!
Fact: It is Impossible to Contract HIV
or Any Other Disease From Plasma Donation.
Your Marketing Connection to UNC-Ashevitie!
828-251-6586
www.unca.edu/banner
gamma phi beta
Wher'KS Tht Love? Thursday, January 25, 8:30
9:30 p,m New Hall 012
Whol's fo" lunch? Tuesday, Jonuony 30, 12:15
1:30 p m hrighsmith Grotto
Sororities AREN'T Taboo! Wednesday, January
31, 9 10 p m Governors Hall Kitchen
I’ you would like mo'e mlomiulior.
olcasG ccntaci Caiy Pnllicia a1
crr|:ell C@uac;e rI.J
Connect. Impact. Shine.
www.unca.eclu/gamrnaphibela
I
Sj;
s
.
mam