When it comes to the value of a diploma from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, President David Bridges gets right to the point.

“It’s priceless,” Bridges, the longest serving president of the 26 colleges and universities in the University System of Georgia (USG), said. “Employers seek out our graduates for a good reason, they are ready to enter the workplace when they receive their diplomas.”

The road to securing that diploma got a little easier on the wallet in recent days when the USG Board of Regents voted to eliminate the Special Institutional Fee and agreed to keep tuition costs at the same level for the 2022-23 academic year.

As a result, the ABAC tuition cost remains the same for the third year in a row, and the bill for fees goes down, resulting in a total tuition and fees cost of $3,806, down 9.5 per cent from 2021.

“It’s a classic low cost, great reward situation,” Bridges said. “By keeping the tuition cost the same and eliminating the Special Institutional Fee, our students can attend ABAC at a lower cost but still get the great reward of an ABAC diploma.”

Dr. Michael Kirkland, Vice President for Enrollment Management, said ABAC will also be SAT/ACT test optional beginning with the 2022 fall term. Admission to ABAC is possible for students who do not present a valid SAT or ACT score if they have an Admission High School GPA of 2.5 or higher.

“We hope this new requirement helps students get into ABAC,” Kirkland said. “Once they get here, we have many resources they can take advantage of to help them succeed in their ABAC career. Students realize how excellent and affordable an ABAC education is when compared to other colleges and universities.”

One of those resources is the Net Price Calculator, https://www.abac.edu/net-price-calculator/ , where students can receive a customized financial aid package including any ABAC scholarships for which they might qualify.

During the 2021 fall semester, ABAC enrolled 3,815 students from 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 52 of Florida’s 67 counties, 18 states, and 19 countries. A record 60 per cent of those students were female, and a record 2,364 majored in one of 12 ABAC bachelor’s degree programs.

The 2022 ABAC fall term begins on Aug. 15.