College prices are skyrocketing. According to Education Data Initiative, after adjusting for inflation, college tuition has increased by nearly 37.5% since the year 2000. There are multiple theories for the nation-wide, drastic surge in college tuition.
First, there has been a massive reduction in state-funded subsidies for public universities, Virginia being a prime example. According to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), since 1998, rising tuition costs have surpassed the decline in Virginia state funding. In other words, costs that were once covered by the state have been passed down to student tuition.
Another pressing issue is the Amenities Arms Race where colleges are constantly competing with each other to offer the best non-academic services, such as improved facilities, athletic programs, student housing and dining. The JLARC found that in Virginia, between 2002 and 2012, “auxiliary enterprises accounted for 56 percent of the total increase in inflation-adjusted, per student spending.” This unnecessary overinvestment is especially apparent in athletic programs, which are one of the most successful growth strategies for universities.
“I heard from my friend that Indiana University is paying its football coach $11 million a year.” Anabelle Kelly (’26) said. “That could possibly be my tuition if I get in and possibly my student debt.”
Tuition costs are, undoubtedly, a major factor for students deciding which school to attend. According to a survey of 205 students, 43% of students applying for college eliminated a college based on cost.
“I toured [Wake Forest University in North Carolina] over the summer,” Kelly said. “It was a beautiful campus and it checked all my boxes, but it is too expensive, so I can’t afford it.”
To cope with higher education’s growing financial barrier, the first step includes filling out a Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) to view what kinds of aid you qualify for, such as scholarships, grants, Federal Work-Study and federal student loans. Individual college websites also offer Net Price Calculators, which are tools that estimate a student’s out-of-pocket cost after factoring in financial assistance programs.
Federal Work-Study is a program that provides part-time employment opportunities, on and off campus, with flexible scheduling to pay for college. The employment positions tend to emphasize community service and work related to the course of study, and any earnings do not reduce future financial aid eligibility.
Students can also take out a student loan, which can be obtained through two distinct channels: the federal government, which typically offers fixed interest rates and extensive borrower protections, or private corporations, which tend to provide variable interest rates and limited borrower protections. There is also a grace period, meaning a student does not have to start payments until after they graduate–usually 6 months after.
For up-to-date information about FAFSA programs, look at the “Opportunities Booklet” on the Student Services Schoology Group. Paper copies are also available in the College and Career Center.
There are plenty of opportunities available to FCPS students such as: Level Up Virginia, a statewide initiative that holds resources regarding financial aid, and Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA), an alternative application for students that are ineligible for FAFSA (potentially due to undocumented status or a nonimmigrant visa). Another great resource is College Access Fairfax.
“College Access Fairfax is a wonderful resource for FCPS students. They have workshops and events to help students with the FAFSA and also have recordings of their programs […] that students can watch. There are financial aid champions that students can make appointments with,” college and career specialist, Lynn Otto, said.
Rather than seeing bundles of scholarships posted in Schoology updates, look at the “FCPS Weekly Scholarship and Enrichment Postings 2025-2026” under the Student Services schoology page to see them all in one place. The “School-based, Local, FCPS and More” tab lists several scholarship websites, and the Naviance Scholarship database contains a complete list.
“Searching for scholarships is like a part-time job or similar to an assignment — it takes time to explore and read through scholarships,” Otto said. “Begin researching colleges early in the process, look at the financial aid sections of individual college websites for schools you are interested in.”
It is important to read through scholarship and college specific deadlines early on to avoid missing out on financial aid consideration. College tuition is only going to continue increasing, becoming more and more inaccessible to those who don’t take advantage of the resources at their disposal.
