Mount Olive ranked among best educational bargains
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on August 14, 2006 1:52 PM
MOUNT OLIVE -- The 2005 North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities Annual Report is out and by all measures Mount Olive College, with its six locations in eastern North Carolina, is still one of the best bargains in higher education.
Out of the 35 private colleges and universities in North Carolina, Mount Olive College ranked as the third most affordable. The average increase in tuition and fees from 2004-2005 to 2005-2006 was 5.9 percent for NCICU institutions, consistent with the average increase of 6 percent among private institutions across the country.
Mount Olive College, however, only reported a 5.4% increase in tuition and fees, officials said.
Barbara Kornegay, vice-president for enrollment at Mount Olive, said that is important because when students consider attending a private college, one of the first concerns should not be how they will pay for it.
"Finding the 'right fit,' the best education, and the most positive environment for each student should be the top priority. Every worthy and capable student should have an opportunity to attain a college education," she said. "By combining institutional scholarships and grant programs with federal and state assistance and installment payment options and financial planning, Mount Olive College makes college possible for deserving and qualified students."
The report also showed that while there was a slight increase of 1 percent in the overall N.C. independent college undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment for the fall of 2004-2005, Mount Olive College had a 7.2 percent increase in its enrollment numbers. That made it the fastest-growing private college in the state, second to Guilford College in Greensboro.
Senior independent colleges have shown an average 4 percent increase in full-time equivalent enrollment over the past five years. By comparison, Mount Olive College has had an increase of 48.4 percent for that time period, more than 10 times the growth for the state.
College President Dr. J. William Byrd said the successful measure is a tribute to the college's effort to transform the lives of its students.