4 Your Money

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ― A struggling economy and high unemployment numbers are not keeping students from enrolling in some of Florida's most expensive colleges.

Earlier this year the state's private universities aggressively recruited students; even those who might have thought a $22,000-a-year price tag was out of reach. Their efforts paid off.

Most saw the number of students enrolling was about the same while others reported modest increases.

"I'm confident the colleges have used every tool available to them to create access for students," said Ed Moore, president of Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida, an association that represents 28 private colleges. "Otherwise, our numbers wouldn't look the way they look."

Moore said overall private colleges and universities reported a 2.8 percent increase in enrollment at a time when they were battling decreased endowments and budget cuts.

Less expensive community colleges and public universities faced record demand in the fall as unemployed workers looked for training and parents looked for more affordable places to send their children to college. Some public universities were forced to freeze freshmen enrollment while community colleges struggled to open classes fast enough to meet demand.

Moore said private colleges appealed to those students who couldn't get the classes they wanted by offering scholarships and financial aid as well as smaller classes and more advisers.

Additionally private college tuition and fees increased only by about 4.3 percent, according to the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, the lowest increase in 37 years, said Tony Pals, a spokesman for the group. He said the colleges also increased grant aid by about 9 percent.

"These are hard times for private institutions, so it's incumbent upon us to demonstrate to students how we can be affordable without killing their families, and what they would get that differs from other kinds of institutions," said Delsie Phillips, vice president for enrollment management at Lynn University in Boca Raton.

"What we have observed anecdotally is a higher-than-expected number of private institutions are reporting record, near-record or otherwise successful enrollments," Pals said.

Nonprofit private colleges, such as Lynn and the University of Miami, cost $10,000 to about $40,000 a year and appeal to traditional college students.  For-profit career colleges, which cater to older students focused on career training, cost about $7,000 to $15,000. Community colleges cost about $2,400 a year, public universities $4,000 and for-profits about $7,000 to $15,000.

UM met its enrollment target, staying at about 15,000 students. Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach and Barry University in Miami Shores each increased enrollment by a few hundred students. Lynn University fell by 186 students.

Lynn, which charges about $29,000 a year, will start a new program next school year in which high-performing students can take extra courses during the semester and summers and finish in three years, saving them an estimated $45,000 in tuition and fees. The school has also has been limiting tuition increases to about 3 percent and is holding more events on campus to recruit students.

Enrollment at the state's largest private college, Nova Southeastern, increased from about 28,500 to 29,000. For the first time, the school this year offered full tuition, a $20,500 value, to any student who qualifies for the Bright Futures Florida Academic Scholars award. This fall, 63 students received the full ride.

Erick Campbell, a senior at Coral Glades High School in Coral Springs, hopes to receive it next year.

"The cost of college is a big factor," he said. "If I can't afford coming to Nova, I'll end up going to Broward College and then transferring."

While recruiting efforts and financial aid offers cost the schools money, they still benefit,

The state pays about $2,500 a year for any student who attends a private university in Florida. Bright Futures recipients also get about $2,800 to $3,800, which can be paid to a public or private university in the state.

(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Don't Let The Bad Economy Get You Down!

• Save On Groceries With Online Assistance
• Do-It-Yourself Funerals
• Cut Corners With Home Gyms
• Children's Clothes on the Cheap
• Saving Money On Pet Care