Going to college in America is expensive. For nearly all students at Stevens, this sentiment is nothing new.

Recently, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released its biannual "Measuring Up" report. The study analyzes aspects of higher education policy in each state and issues a 'report card', that grades in five areas, Preparation, Participation, Affordability, Completion, and Benefits.

New Jersey scored highly in all areas except "Affordability," in which the state was given a 'D.' The report states that "New Jersey makes a large investment in need-based financial aid," but adds that "even with financial aid, however, the costs of attending public two- and four-year colleges remain high."

Most other states also scored poorly in the Affordability category, with only California, Minnesota, and Utah receiving above a 'D.' Thirty-six states were given failing grades, and America was rated an 'F' overall for Affordability.

When asked about the report, Vice President for University Enrollment & Academic Services Maureen Weatherall said that the low grades make it "very hard to draw any comparative analysis among states." She added that "there are significantly more families who receive financial aid from Stevens than qualify for assistance from the state."

Financial aid can have a big impact on the cost of college. Tim Garner '08 remarked that "after financial aid is factored in," the cost of Stevens compared to other schools such as WPI or Florida Tech was "all about the same."

With financial aid such an important factor in the cost of attending college, Weatherall believes that New Jersey "has done a much better job than the federal government" in providing aid to college students. For example, "the direct/Stafford loan has not increased from the $2625” it was" when Weatherall attended college.

For its part, New Jersey is attempting to keep the cost of college down. Public colleges and universities were subject to an eight percent cap for tuition increases for this year. Despite having the highest per capita income in the country, college tuition at private universities in New Jersey is only eight percent above the national average, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education.

College students in New Jersey also have an advocate in Congress. Sen. Jon Corzine (D, NJ) has sought to provide more financial aid to students. Corzine has worked to block changes to financial aid calculations that would lower the amount of aid many students receive.