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$4390 (minus $398 in two semesters of tuition waivers), that's what i payed for tuition in the UH system graduating from UHH about 20 years ago. that's the sum total, not per semester, with an extra year thrown in for good measure to further focus on my chosen specialty.
granted i never went to college outside the UH system to be able to directly compare and contrast, but i was very happy with the quality of the instructors at that time. i also very much enjoyed the wide ranging diversity amongst the student body. ...diversity in backgrounds, age, nationality. loved being a Vulcan.
too bad the tuition for UHH skyrocketed from what it was farrrr and awayyyy beyond adjusting for inflation. i'd happily pay my share in taxes to bring in-state higher education back to such accessible levels for state residents.
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I'm sure you have already looked into scholarships, grants, and financial aid- that is the real game changer. Our daughter goes to UH Manoa tuition free on a merit scholarship and has several other scholarships and grants paying for books and much of her living expenses. Many of these were things she qualified for because she was coming from a Hawaii high school. I don't think there is any way we could afford college outside of Hawaii without all the scholarship and grants.
Tuition is only about 1/4 the bill. If the student isn't living at home the room, board, fees, books, etc are 3/4 the cost.
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There are an incredible number of options available for kids to choose from. A friend of mine is a professor at Soka University of the Americas. It's funded by a Buddhist organization, has free admission for students from families making 60k or less and a 9:1 staff  tudent ratio. The down side is they only have Liberal Arts degrees. My friend who teaches there is one of the brightest people I've ever met, but he went to very traditional institutions. He did his undergrad with me at the University of Victoria (BC) and then got a full scholarship for his grad studies at MIT. For myself, I did half of my undergrad at local community colleges, then finished up at UVic. In all honesty, I got the best quality of instruction in community college due to smaller class sizes and instructors whose first job is teaching, rather than it being a side job for University Profs (primary job for them is research, teaching just gets in the way).
I teach high school and I get feedback all the time from past students who come back to update me on what they've done since graduation. There are many paths to follow and many of them can lead to success. One of the biggest surprises for me has been the Art Institute (my personal experience is with students going to the one in Vancouver). My initial thought about them was that they were very expensive (30k+/year). However, they have an incredible job placement rate and have taken students I thought might not ever be successful in life and turned them into productive members of society working in the field of animation making a very good living.
Many students go into trades and are very happy. I talked to one bright young man I had taught several years ago who just finished training to be an X-ray technician and is really enjoying it (after giving University a couple of years and deciding it wasn't the path for him).
For a lot of kids who are University bound, I advise considering living at home and going to a local community college for a couple of years and then transferring for 3rd and 4th year due to the money that can be saved living at home. For some, that's not in the cards as the main reason they want to go to University is to "get out of the house". The previously mentioned better instructional environment doesn't hurt either.
In the end she's going to have to make a decision. Encourage her to research all of the options carefully and look at as many points of view on the matter as she can. My experience with Mormons is they are very nice people. If the worst she has to face is cold weather, it can't be all that bad. It doesn't hurt for business students that SLC is the industrial banking capital.
Just call me Mike
Me ka ha`aha`a,
Mike
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I have gone to a variety of community colleges, private colleges & universities, including UH-Hilo....pluses & minuses with each & every one.
The fact your daughter is the one interested in UVU is a great point... if she is graduating next year, start getting your ducks in a row, work on any admission forms (practice makes perfect), start looking over the 2015-2016 FAFSA forms, and keep looking at other colleges...
I am sure you have looked at the cost of living at UVU, not just the tuition. Many out-of-county students at UH-H are surprised at the lack of student housing, and this s one of the main drawbacks for the Hilo school...even with the new frosh dorms...
What is the situation at UVU? What do the meal tickets include?
And even though UVU may offer 100% acceptance (which does leave me questions HOW they can), it is never bad to have your daughter spend the next few months looking at many other options & applying to other schools next fall...
Many island students opt for schools on the west coast (esp schools in Washington St & Oregon), but depending on her interests, there may be schools in the midwest, south or northeast that might have some programs she may be interested in (schools like Purdue are actively recruiting here & have some spectacular scholarship options for certain students)
Another thing every junior (and even soph) HS student should make sure of? That the classes they are taking are ones that mesh with their future program interests...this summer is a great time to try to get an internship, volunteer work or camp experience in a field they may have interests in.
Although you would like a list of colleges & universities...that is something your daughter really should do, researching online & through her HS (she can even utilize the facilities at UH-Hilo for her school search)...as this is HER future, and she has the most insight on her wants & needs, as far school programs & location choices.
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Speaking as a graduate who was hired and paid the highest average salary at the time, I would not be so debt adverse. My Chemical Engineering degree is now ranked third, however is still almost double that of most liberal arts.
The trap lower paid liberal arts majors find is they have far less ability to save money to buy and build a home.
Encouraging a child to take difficult subjects like petroleum engineering or chemical engineering is worth the battle. Of course we all want to go to a school with ski resorts or beaches nearby.
Starting class was 250 freshman with Chem E major. Just 74 made it to graduation. I was one of the 74 and to do this I had to retake two classes I failed to pass the first time... P-Chem and Advanced thermodynamics
That degree is reason I had money to come to Hawaii 16 years ago and semi-retire in my 30's.
Former Puna Beach Resident
Now sailing in SE Asia
HOT BuOYS Sailing
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FWIW, her housing adjacent to campus will be about $450/month for a solo room in a four bedroom student apartment.
I started the thread to share what I see as an incredible value and option for college-bound kids here. In asking for other options, I wasn't researching further for my daughter's college search. She is admitted and signed on, decision done. Just thought others might like to share any options they came upon...
Cheers,
Kirt
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Although I've worked in Higher Ed overseas and in three states, funding was not my speciality (since my undergrad years). My daughter doesn't want to stay in HI even though financially Hilo would be a great option. Private colleges were not an option for me because part time and summer work coupled by grants basically got me through a degree at UC in the 80s, but with private schools' "sliding scales" they seem to make the best financial sense now. She has good offers from various ones which aren't (much) more the Manoa costs. One school I had never heard of which allows an RN/ premed option and is relatively highly rated is Creighton in Omaha. I am terrified of her graduating with debt and a biology degree (and not heading to med school). She has not made a final choice (and yes, she likes and has lived in the very cold)......
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eigoya, I assume you prefer a pre-med program at a university which has a med school, and my ignorance on the medical path is extraordinary. Nevertheless, for comparison purposes:
http://www.uvu.edu/prehealth/programs/medical/
http://www.uvu.edu/tuition/tuition-Fees14-15.pdf
http://www.villageparkway.com
Cheers,
Kirt
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Yes, yes, I got on it after I read your post. As a grad of a large research university, I would not recommend it and good grades at a small college are equally good for transfer to grad school (and may be better preparation). Unfortunately, I can no longer talk to my daughter on this topic, so I just forward links and hope one sticks. I told her (2 years ago) to take the GED and start college early (what I did) which she heard as, "Drop out and go to that place like the sitcom with Chevy Chase"....
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Back up plan: live in a van down by the river. 
http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/v...ker/n10432
Cheers,
Kirt
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