Students should be treated better by study abroad

I have to respectfully disagree with Bernadette's post about the cost of study abroad at GW. While I'm glad GW didn't make any money off of her because she ended up at an expensive program, The Hatchet's editorial was spot-on calling the University out for charging DC calibrated tuition to students studying in less expensive countries. It is painful to hear colleges dish out excuses for ripping students off.

The explanation from Wheaton College's president for their home tuition policy echoes GW's own cited by the Office of Study Abroad. In a letter to the editor, administrators from the office state that the University still relies on funds from every student, even those abroad, to "provide the level of education and services the student expects upon return."

Using the same logic, shouldn't the University charge students GW prices for credit transferred from community college? Another glaring problem:

In other words, GW offers significant scholarships because home tuition costs more, creating a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle.

This is a problem not only for study abroad students. This vicious cycle is what drives GW's sticker price over 50k while the University gives out more financial aid than any other school. In her post, Bernadette said that paying GW tuition "made the process simpler," but don't we deserve an easy-to-navigate process that doesn't rip students off?