Universities in Virginia

Universities in Virginia November 22, 2013 Will the University of Virginia limit the percentage of out-of-state students in the future? Photo credit: Douglas A. Melchior. For universities in Virginia, it might be more difficult for out-of-staters to gain admission in the future. Whys that? Well, its because lawmakers are pushing for Virginia schools to impose quotas, to limit the number of out-of-staters at their institutions. At present, the university in Virginia with the highest percentage of out-of-state students is The College of William Mary, with between 36 and 38%. The University of Virginia has around 33% out-of-staters in its student body, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia as reported by The Washington Post. According to a piece on Virginia universities in The Washington Post, The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved a legislative agenda this fall that proposes a 25  percent cap on the portion of out-of-state students in Virginia’s institutes of higher education. They started lobbying state lawmakers this week.  Past efforts have failed, pitted against the enduring financial struggles of the state’s colleges and universities. Out-of-state students have long been sought-after by universities seeking to create diverse communities and to recruit the most talented students. But in recent years, as state per-pupil spending has dwindled, out-of-state students are especially treasured for the higher tuition they pay. In Virginia, some universities charge more than twice as much for out-of-state residents. Its the major advantage of bringing in out-of-state students to state universities they pay more money and colleges need money. This should shape up into an interesting fight. Will Virginia lawmakers prevail? Will the universities in Virginia limit the percentage of out-of-state students on their campuses? Only time will tell.