Bethel’s Cost: Worth It?

Straight talk from the President’s office on Bethel’s price tag.

As if financing a college education weren’t enough of a challenge, the recession presents a new set of concerns for many families of prospective students.

And for every student, the choice of a college has never carried higher stakes than in the current job market.

Here's a discussion with Rich Sherry, executive assistant to Bethel President Jay Barnes, about Bethel’s unique value to families—sometimes obscured by a difference in sticker price.

The economy compounds public concern about tuition in general, does it not?

We are now seeing a ceiling, it seems to me, in family ability to pay and desire to pay, made much harder in the current economic climate. We’re at that point where we really have to focus on the value we can offer students. While there are several ways of looking at value, one of the important ones is the value of being mentored by Christ-following faculty and of being surrounded by students who are more serious about integrating faith development with personal and academic development.

Just in cash terms, isn’t a state institution a more logical choice for families?

Let’s compare Bethel to the University of Minnesota, the premier public institution in the state, or to other state schools. Bethel’s sticker price is about $33,480 for tuition, fees, and room and board this year, while the state university is $18,000. If you break out financial aid, including campus work and loans, though, the average award per student is several times as large at Bethel as awards in the state schools. About 92 percent of Bethel students received some form of financial aid this year, while just 73 percent of students did at the flagship university.

Isn’t there still a significant cost difference, though?

Total cost is really important—and that factors in time to graduation. The value of a college education lies in the completed program of work, which can prepare students to start a career. We have a far better track record fostering student success to graduation than any of the state universities. Of the class that entered Bethel in 2001, 69 percent graduated in four years against just 37 percent at Minnesota’s largest state university.* For the same percentage of students to graduate from the University of Minnesota takes six years to Bethel’s four. Those Bethel graduates had two more years of work experience and income while the vast majority of students from the state university either were no longer in school or were still completing their degree.

At the premier Minnesota state university, you pay roughly $108,000 in costs for six years, and at Bethel about $133,920 for four years. The difference is offset both by the fact that students are twice as likely to graduate, and that they gain a two-year work opportunity over those who haven’t graduated yet.

*Federal government’s Integrated Post-secondary Database System (IPEDS), 2007.

What accounts for Bethel graduating students so much faster?

We are roughly equal to the University of Minnesota or other state schools in looking for stronger students to admit. The difference is, those who come to Bethel get the kind of attention and the kind of help they need with scheduling of courses. They get advising that enables them to complete their programs more rapidly and embark on careers that much sooner.

Still, can’t a motivated student finish at a public institution in four years?

Yes, it’s possible. However, one thing likely to happen with the economy is that public universities will be forced to make choices about section and class size, or whether or not classes can be offered. In the public sphere, we’re likely to see students taking even longer to complete programs because they’ll be less able to get the classes they need. That was true in state institutions in an economic downturn four or five years ago, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it again.

Are there “givens” at Bethel that won’t be compromised—class sizes, faculty-student ratios?

You can count on our commitment to a Christ-centered mission that will challenge students to think biblically and critically about issues facing the world today. In addition, the first thing we must work to strengthen and preserve is the quality of academic programs; second, to assist students with the scheduling and the aid they need to complete programs; and third, to preserve our strong faculty and support staff. I’d say we’d look to strengthen Bethel with these continuing emphases, not weaken it.

Does Bethel provide enough value spiritually to justify the cost?

We’re attempting to offer an education in which faith and quality academics go together in a holistic manner. We emphasize that we are believers in Jesus and that our education, then, is not simply for ourselves, but for the kingdom. We want to see students grow in faith and intellect so they’re effective thinkers, participants in the culture, and transformers in the marketplace. We hire faculty who are committed to living out faith in an academic context. In addition, our strong chapel program, ministry opportunities, and discipleship programs are integral to a Bethel education.

Can’t students grow in faith through campus fellowship groups at state schools?

Campus parachurch organizations do tremendous good. In my own state school experiences, I had great opportunities with The Navigators. But they’re always starting from zero, working with non-believers or relatively new Christians. In that context, I don’t think there’s as much room for growth as on a campus where, from the beginning, we focus on helping young Christians mature. In the state university, integration of faith and learning is not encouraged or fostered in the classroom. It is at Bethel.

Shouldn’t a student’s faith be strengthened through testing, though—more likely at a secular school?

Your faith is tested and challenged in a state university, but it’s seldom supported. On the other hand, there are some Christian colleges where your faith will be supported but not tested or challenged. Like lodge-pole pines growing tall and thin without deep roots, a strong wind will mean disaster for such Christians. At Bethel, I think we’re doing a lot of testing and challenging, but we’re also balancing it with a great deal of support.

Have you heard Bethel students say their education is worth the tuition?

Yes. In our fall 2008 Student Satisfaction Inventory, Bethel students were significantly more satisfied than students at other schools on 15 measurements—eight of them related to excellence of classroom teaching, helpfulness of advisors, and climate of intellectual growth. Even on one of the most challenging measures, “Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment,” students reported the highest levels of satisfaction in at least eight years. In a climate where students are weighing the cost of higher education, this is encouraging.