Amid the stress for underclassmen Bearcats with the fall and winter season in preparation for finals, seniors are facing more of a workload, as they maneuver through the college application process, applying for financial aid and scholarships. With the recent tuition hike from, University of California, these future college freshmen may find themselves lifting heavier cargo, than just a backpack over their shoulders.
The recent 5 percent tuition increase, or referred to as the “Tuition Stability Plan,” is a new strategy permitting 5 percent inflation for future students, as approved by the University of California regents on Nov. 19, in a vote of 13 to 3, where a conference was held at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a few other California locations.
Despite the UC’s reason for the tuition hike, UC students have stood out in opposition of the increase by partaking in a rally outside the meeting of the Board of Regents in Los Angeles of Nov. 19, protesting against the move. Issues involving the rise were concerns such as students seeing slower progress in being able to pay for debt, being able to afford additional necessities on campus for things such as food, water, and class supplies. A source from the Los Angeles Times reporting on the tuition hike discovered “UC leaders say the plan will help more low- and middle-income students paying for college. Students warned it will deepen debt,” (LA Times).
How will the tuition affect incoming UC students? With senior Bearcats having completed their UC applications for the Nov. 30th deadline, concerns may spark surrounding if they’ll have enough scholarship or financial aid to pay off college expenses, or could potentially steer future Bearcat college applicants away from considering a UC due to the costly prices.
The plan on the new tuition cycle is to get new students every year pay more tuition than students who attended in previous years, though still pay less tuition than future UC students will. The 5 percent tuition increase is set to begin for the 2026-27 school year season.
