Ind. gets 'F' for college affordability

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Some Hoosier students still can't afford higher education.

A national report gave 49 states including Indiana a failing grade for college affordability.

Some students are choosing to go to Community College for two years and transfer to bigger universities because it saves a lot of money.

Christina Buzana just registered for her first semester at Ivy Tech Community College.

"I'm starting here and then hopefully transferring to IU," said Buzana.

Buzana put off college for years because she couldn't afford it, she said, "Honestly I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Pell Grant."

The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education said Indiana gets an "F" for college affordability. So does every other state except for California.

"I don't know if I would give us an F, but I think I would give us a small caution," said Stan Jones, Commissioner for Indiana Higher Education.

Jones said college tuition has doubled every 10 years. The report said Indiana families need to spend 30% of their income for higher education.

"It's gone up faster than any other cost including healthcare cost," said Jones.

The commission is promoting more financial aid for middle income families, a simpler financial aid process and inexpensive alternatives.

The Indianapolis campus at Ivy Tech Community College was just ranked the fastest growing community college in the nation, by the publication Community College Week.

"The wisdom is in 2005, the general assembly and the governor created a community college system. We really didn't have one before then. So now in a state where people didn't think about going to college, they can," said Tom Snyder, President Ivy Tech Community College.

Ivy Tech said its tuition costs about $3,000 a year. The college said enrollment is up 20% from fall 2006 to fall 2007.

"The board of Trustees for more than a decade has held our tuition increases at or below the level of inflation," said Snyder.

As far as the rest of the report on higher education, Indiana also received a "C" for preparation and participation, a "B-" for completion and a "D+" for benefits.