CSULB’s price set at a high value

Cal State Long Beach once again ranked among the nation’s 100 “Best Value Colleges for 2009” in the Princeton Review, and in the top 50 for public “Best Value Colleges.”

Though it didn’t make the top 10, CSULB is the only university in the California State University system to be included in the best value category. Schools on the list after the top 10 are only listed alphabetically.

“The good news about the Princeton Review as opposed to other rankings like U.S. News and World Report is that important variables like cost (tuition and fees), student debt and student input are considered in the ranking,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander in an e-mail. “Also, of the four public universities in California listed (UC San Diego, UC Davis and UC Irvine), we are by far much more affordable than those others ranked in the top 50.”

The Princeton Review is known for its college rankings, which are largely based on how students rate the schools. This is the third consecutive year CSULB has ranked as one of the nation’s best value public universities. Other factors also considered include financial aid and admissions statistics.

CSULB was boasted for its Division 1 athletic programs, the demographic diversity and Long Beach weather. CSULB’s online administration system also helps students save time, according to the Review.

The evaluation, which can be found online at princetonreview.com, examines some of the shortcomings at CSULB as well, such as lack of participation in activities, commuter difficulties like traffic and parking, and impacted majors.

Some students do not seem to think highly of the Review’s verdict on CSULB. “The ranking does not mean too much to me,” said Elizabeth Gamboa, a sophomore history major. “It is not like CSULB is Harvard or something. It really does not matter; it’s still a Cal State school.”

Roxanna Gracia, a sophomore sociology major, had a different take on it. “I feel like out of all the Cal States, this is the most affordable for the amount of money we are paying. We are getting a top-notch education,” Gracia said.

According to the Review, approximately half of the student body at CSULB receives financial aid, and many students have zero out-of-pocket expenses as far as student fees are concerned.

In a time when California faces looming educational budget cuts, CSULB has hurdles to face in the near future, which Alexander is ready to admit.

“Any time we face state budget cutbacks and the state does not adequately fund our student enrollment, [CSULB is] negatively impacted in many ways,” Alexander said. “Class sizes increase, student fees go up much higher, less money for educational purposes are spent on students, students ultimately take out more loans, graduation rates tend to not increase, etc.”

Alexander said that while CSULB services students, such as recently covering the lacking funds for Cal Grants, CSULB still has a low price tag.

“This is why in some of the rankings, the top schools generally are tiny institutions that charge a ton and spend a ton on their small number of students,” Alexander said.