Study: NMC’s major marketing setback points to high tuition By MARIAN A. MARAYA

High tuition and fees have been blamed on the Northern Marianas College’s failure to attract more students, a study conducted by a group of NMC students disclosed.

According to the marketing study, the rate of tuition and fees offered for international students is the main factor that affects the college’s chances of increasing its foreign student enrollment.

Twenty-eight percent of some 21 local high school students surveyed shared this sentiment, while 16 percent out of 37 school-going respondents suggested the reduction of NMC’s tuition and fees should be prioritized if it wants to increase its student population.

NMC Development and Alumni Relations Director Tony Deleon Guerrero has even proposed that the Board of Regents look into reducing the tuition rate for nonresident students.

Mr. Guerrero, who has been tasked by the board to market the college to neighboring Asian countries, said there is no need for NMC to charge twice the amount from foreign students despite existing laws that suggest otherwise.

Over the last two academic years, NMC has noted a decrease in the its nonresident student enrollment. In academic year 1996-97, 483 foreign enrollees registered at NMC out of the 1,721 total student-population. The following year, the figure dropped to 373 which further dipped to 225 nonresident student enrollment in AY 1998-99.

Majority of international students surveyed in the marketing study led by NMC instructor Rik Villegas expressed interest in applying for financial aids to sustain their two-year stay at the college.

Only close to 50 foreign respondents out of 275 surveyed disclosed that they belong to the $36,000 and above family income level.

Meanwhile, some of the college’s disadvantages, as listed by authors of the study, dwelled on the lack of government support, limited funds available in all areas, limited courses available per semester, inadequate scheduling for working students, and excessively high tuition and fees.

In addition, respondents also enumerated insufficient parking and small classrooms as other elements impeding progress to NMC’s marketing efforts.

According to Mr. Guerrero, some aspects about
the marketing proposal may not hold true today. The study was conducted last year under Mr. Villegas’ Fundamental of Advertising class.

But NMC’s edge, according to the study, is its reliable accreditation status, fair student-teacher ratio, open-admission policy, and fairly good computer laboratories.

The study further showed that only 59 percent of those surveyed are aware of NMC’s accreditation while 37 percent are unaware that credits earned at the college are transferable to other institutions.