Hawaii community colleges listed as affordable
Kapiolani Community College has been criticized by instructors for noncredit classes who say the school has failed to deliver paychecks on time. Some also say attendance suffers because of inadequate publicity for the Continuing Education classes.
The University of Hawaii system is touting the affordability of its community colleges.
The university announced this week the U.S. Department of Education listed Leeward Community College, Kapiolani Community College and Honolulu Community College among 95 public two-year institutions with the lowest net price.
The net price represents the average cost of attending, including tuition, fees and living expenses, minus the average amount of institutional and federal financial aid.
The Education Department lists Leeward’s net price at $1,745, Kapiolani’s at $3,750 and Honolulu Community College’s price at $3,880. That’s for the 2011-12 academic year.
Those costs are below the national average for the same year, which was $7,163.
Vice President for Community Colleges John Morton says achieving low prices is an accomplishment in a state with high living costs.
