With recent changes in tuition by colleges and universities across the state, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP – Fort Smith is now the most affordable four-year university campus in Arkansas.
Out of the more than 20 brick-and-mortar universities offering baccalaureate degrees in Arkansas, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP ranks lowest in tuition and fees at $3,467.50 per semester for the 2017-18 school year, which is approximately $640 lower than the average tuition and fees at public universities in the state.
Dr. Paul B. Beran, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP chancellor, said the university’s low tuition and fee structure establishes Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP as a “true value.â€�
“We are pleased to have the designation as the most affordable campus in the state, as it reflects our mission to provide a quality, accessible education to residents of the greater Fort Smith region and Arkansas as a whole,â€� Beran said. “With the job and graduate school placement rates of our graduates consistently above 85 percent, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP is a true value for anyone who wishes to pursue an education that will change their lives for the better at a reasonable cost.â€�
Raneisha Lewis of Fort Smith, attended Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP in part due to its affordability and graduated this spring with no student loan debt through a combination of scholarships and working part-time jobs during her college career. By the time she graduated, she had already secured a position as talent management specialist at ArcBest Corp.
She said graduating without student loan debt was a relief.
“It’s a big load off my shoulders. I know that the money I’m making now, I get to save towards whatever I’m doing in the future,â€� Lewis said. “Everyone wants to see you succeed at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP. It’s a smaller campus, where you can create so many relationships with your professors and advisers. At bigger schools, you can’t know everybody. Here, it’s so much easier to know people.â€�
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP had the second-lowest annual tuition and fees in the state last year but became the lowest after tuition increases for the 2017-18 school year.
About the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP - Fort Smith
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP – Fort Smith is the premiere regional institution of Western Arkansas, connecting education with careers and serving as a driver of economic development and quality of place in the greater Fort Smith region. Through a small campus, dedicated professors, and the university’s unique bond with its community, students at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP are able to do more in the areas they are passionate about, both on- and off-campus, in a way that prepares them for post-graduate success. To find out how you can do more at Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAPP, visit .