UW-La
Crosse, along with many other universities in Wisconsin, participates with
Minnesota regarding reciprocity for tuition.
There
are students at UW-L from 37 different states. The Midwest Exchange Program
allows some of those students from Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin to be eligible for tuition
reductions at certain Midwest public and private schools. Minnesota and
Wisconsin have a separate tuition discount agreement as well. Wisconsin and Michigan officials have occasionally discussed another agreement, but nothing has ever been implemented.
Illinois
is not included in this list. Sophomore Emily O’Conner attested to this. She
said she does not get a discounted tuition rate. Because of her merit and
grades in high school, she was eligible for an Illinois resident scholarship.
According to the UW-La Crosse website, students from Wisconsin and Minnesota pay $8,769 for the 2013-2014 school year. Students eligible for the Midwest Student Exchange Program pay $11,918 during the 2013-2014 school year, and non-residents, including Emily O’Conner and other students from Illinois, have a tuition rate of $16,342 for the 2013-2014 school year.
Minnesota residents must apply to
receive reciprocity; otherwise they will have to pay the non-resident tuition. And only new freshmen are eligible to enter the MSEP
program. Transfer, re-entry, and graduate students are not
eligible. Students ranking in the top 25% of their high school class and
scoring a 25 composite or higher on the ACT exam will be stronger candidates
for this tuition discount.
UW-La
Crosse also offers a Return to Wisconsin program. This gives students a 25%
discount on the difference between resident and
non-resident tuition rates for eligible students with parents, stepparents, or
grandparents graduated from UW-La Crosse. Students must apply for this
opportunity as well.
