SMU Cost-of-Attendance Stipend: $2,700

[footballdad]

As expected. Most of our peers and non-P5's will probably be in that $2500-$3000 range.

[RGV Pony]

just looked up and found the one that was in the 5's...Memphis is $5,373. I remember being surprised that they were the highest in the conference.

ECU was around 4k
USF is around 4300
Tulsa is 2500

other numbers can be found at this link
http://chronicle.com/article/At-Least-1 ... ms/229229/

[Stallion]

Apparently "Cost of Attendance" has broader application that just in athletics. The new NCAA rule adopted a Federal regulation definition of Cost of Attendance applicable to ALL STUDENTS. NCAA in its announcement said:

"In the autonomy conferences, a full scholarship will now include expenses that meet the federal definition of “cost of attendance.” Now, in addition to tuition, fees, books and room and board, the scholarship will also include expenses such as academic-related supplies, transportation and other similar items. The value of those benefits can differ from campus to campus

Under that Federal law definition each school that receives federal funding is required to publish a Net Price Calculator (See USNews & World Report link for the Net Price Calculator for each school) applicable to ALL STUDENTS. I doubt a school would jeopardize federal funding to pad athletic Cost of Attendance and there are probably consequences for doing so. Apparently, there is pressure on schools especially private schools to low-ball these numbers so as not to make the school look more expensive to the applicant pool.

Links to Net Price calculators for national universities:

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-co ... calculator

My question would be how can a school justify having a different "Cost of Attendance" for the general student body and athletics when both apparently are to be calculated using the same Federal Definition.

[Top Twenty]

Here's the deal, as I understand it. Our number is quite competitive...it is all about how you calculate the total. For example, we pay for text books up front on behalf of the athlete; some other schools will not do so, meaning that they include the comparable amount in the stipend, making their number appear larger on the surface. These seemingly larger stipends are not just walking around, let's head over to the mall money. As I said, our figure is very competitive, and we are explaining all this to the recruits.

[West Coast Johnny]

The stipend seems to be unregulated and universities are allowed to pick a number out of a hat. I don't know how living in Lubbock requires a bigger living allowance stipend than any other town in Texas but Tech seems to be the leader with the big checks to athletes. Simple economics tells me that if school A pays more than school B....

[Stallion]

I don't think Cost of Attendance deals with housing/meals which is covered by the other check they have already been getting. See NCAA release:

"Now, IN ADDITION to tuition, fees, books and room and board, the scholarship will ALSO include expenses such as academic-related supplies, transportation and other similar items." (emphasis added)

[smusportspage]

Well, all of this certainly clears it up .

[duyduck]

I was curious on how the CoA was calculated, because if going by the Article, the CoA listed on Texas Tech doesn't quite match with their own website.

https://www.depts.ttu.edu/gradschool/fu ... uition.php

I wondered if it was $2710 or the general student fee, but wasn't quite sure.

https://www.smu.edu/EnrollmentServices/ ... Attendance

I wonder if private universities calculate it a little differently as well.

[tristatecoog]

I'm not surprised that TSU's, UNT's and Rice's are TBD.

Is this just for football?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I'm not surprised that TSU's, UNT's and Rice's are TBD.

Is this just for football?

I think it is for all scholarship athletes, correct?

[mrydel]

I believe it is. And if you have a fraction scholarship then you get the faction amount.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

The one thing that concerns me is if our actual raw published number that gets reported by the media is low because we have some sort of great package (books, etc.) that is actually a better deal - don't we understand kids won't really understand this and think we are low?

It seems like you should rig your number to be as high as possible.

[smusportspage]

Yes, that would make sense. The published number needs to be high because that is what will get bragged about and compared. It is only human nature. Does not matter if it makes sense or not. That is at least initially until everyone becomes used to the stipends and is educated on how they are calculated.

[couch 'em]

We need to work the formula to maje it as desceptively high as possible.

[CA Mustang]

The one thing that concerns me is if our actual raw published number that gets reported by the media is low because we have some sort of great package (books, etc.) that is actually a better deal - don't we understand kids won't really understand this and think we are low?

It seems like you should rig your number to be as high as possible.

Yes, that would make sense. The published number needs to be high because that is what will get bragged about and compared. It is only human nature. Does not matter if it makes sense or not. That is at least initially until everyone becomes used to the stipends and is educated on how they are calculated.

We need to work the formula to maje it as desceptively high as possible.

I doubt that strategy will work. If SMU claims its CoA stipend its $6K but a kid only gets $2.7K, how do you think that will go over? Do you honestly think SMU will be able to win the battle of public opinion when they are accused by a player of over-promising/exaggerating a CoA stipend?