TIFTON — For families of prospective college students, summer is a popular time to visit college campuses and start to weigh options for the future.

A recent article by Forbes Magazine listed the most popular factors considered by students during the college selection season, with two of them clearly topping the list: cost and convenience. In those areas, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College continues to lead the way, according to an ABAC press release.

“We know families are making careful, value-driven decisions when it comes to college, and at ABAC, we’re proud to offer an exceptional education that doesn’t come with a burdensome price tag,” said ABAC President Tracy Brundage. “More than half of our students graduate debt-free, thanks to our low tuition, generous scholarships, and flexible payment options. That’s not just affordable – it’s empowering. We’re committed to making sure cost is never a barrier to opportunity at ABAC.”

Among all colleges and technical schools within a 100-mile radius of Tifton, ABAC is the most affordable option when combining tuition and mandatory fees. For students taking 12 hours this fall, the minimum for full-time students, ABAC’s tuition and fees are $1,634. ABAC’s tuition is $1,308 per semester, slightly above the tuition for Georgia’s technical colleges at $1,284. But with lower mandatory fees, ABAC moves to the top of the list.

That rate not only applies to all Georgia residents, but to those from neighboring states as well. ABAC’s popular “neighbor waiver” allows students from Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, or Tennessee to pay in-state tuition. Last fall, ABAC had 345 students from those states, along with representation from 15 other states.

Mia McGurl is one of those students. The Agricultural Communication major from Jacksonville, Fla., said the combination of ABAC’s affordability, available scholarships, and her on-campus job allows her to be financially independent. She is planning to be a part of that debt-free 55 percent when she graduates next May.

“I didn’t know much about ABAC when I first started looking at colleges,” she said. “Now that I’m about to start my senior year, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. I’m getting an education that will put me in the field I wanted, and I’ve been able to afford it without having to get a loan and go into debt.”

ABAC is also one of the few colleges in Georgia to offer a payment plan, which allows students to pay half of their account balance before classes begin, with the remaining balance due approximately 60 days into the semester.