The Washington Post is reporting on some of the mad offers from colleges to ensure they have full classes for Fall 2020.
Here is the article:
Eh. Welcome to the free market economy that the rest of us in the working world live in.
Wow, that’s crazy. Thanks for sharing.
It’s possible, says the article, to request lower tuition and other perks.
That has always been true. People do not realize that you can negotiate with colleges, and, based on how much they want you, they can change the amount of financial aid they offer.
I agree–this year, though, there seems to be added leverage from the parents’ side of things
You get what you pay for. There’s a reason they’re willing to negotiate…
@1NJParent: Only true in the sense that prices are what the market will bear. But if, say, someone is willing to pay for the low student-faculty ratio and general inclusiveness of a LAC, suddenly, the prices have gone down a lot.
Are the faculty any less caring? Is the LAC any less inclusive? I really doubt that.
@PurpleTitan Many of these less desirable colleges are always willing to offer some sort of “discount”, typically in the form of merit awards, to attract students who would otherwise be full pay at more desirable colleges. In the current crisis, the college becomes less desirable compared to its former self, so it has to offer more “discount” as an enticement to enroll. I don’t see highly desirable colleges offer this type of “discount” and I don’t expect them to broadly grant gap year requests this year.
Can anyone state key points? Behind paywall.
Grinnell is giving everyone a one time $2,500 reduction.
@1NJParent: Autumn isn’t here yet.
We’ll see in a few months just how “highly desirable” many colleges are.
@Lindagaf here are a few key excerpts:
Put down a deposit and, at some schools, your tuition will never go up. Like to sleep in? Other colleges will give you early registration privileges so you don’t get stuck with morning classes. Still others are throwing in free food, free football tickets… In a twist of timing, some of the inducements are a consequence of a Justice Department action that forced college admissions officers to drop key parts of their professional code of ethics… Those who were accepted and paid a deposit by Dec. 1 under the “Preferred Admission” process… were offered premium rooms (“Worried about having a hall bathroom? Select the perfect dorm in your new home!”); early move-in (“Skip the long lines”); early registration (“Don’t want 7:50 a.m. classes?”); and preferred parking (“Worried about where you’ll park your car, or if you’ll even be able to find an available space? Relax!”).
Hope that helps.
This is wild. I’m curious how this will translate into admissions for high school class of 21.
One key thing that it notes is that (paraphrasing): “Low income families don’t realize they can ask for discounted tuition.”
I read that as–even existing families in colleges can ask for discounts for the coming year. It’s not just freshman class that they need to worry about. One of my kids today at dinner–not a freshman and loves her/his college–“Why would I go back if it’s more online?” and s/he instructed me “Don’t pay my tuition.”
I tried to start a convo about what that might mean when the bills come in but, students get it. They know parents – and students with loans are paying out of their own pockets–lots and lots of cash for this experience called residential college.
I think that it might be possible to negotiate bills even for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors.
U of Chicago students are asking for deep discounts as per another thread on this forum.
FA officers are inundated with current students asking for additional FA/“professional judgement”, including families who were previously full pay. Many schools strongly believe they need to serve current students first wrt increasing FA, before incoming freshman. Not sure any school can fully meet all the additional aid requests across all the groups.
I wonder does any of this article (can’t access it) apply to mid to large sized state schools…? Thinking not…?
Well, not from the article, but I know that Miami Ohio has recently, and unexpectedly, increased merit aid for a number of accepted students, to name one example.
Schools are bracing for less OOS students and their tuition, so it wouldn’t surprise me if public schools try to find ways to entice OOS applicants to commit.
There are only so many “premium dorm rooms” they can offer up before a whole lot of kids have to live in whatever is left over. And haven’t upperclassmen already got first crack at those more desired spots? Those “scheduled so you can sleep in” classes will fill up too. Then what? Parking spot? OK, but not every kid has a car. Is that really a deal maker? Autographed text books… what teenager really cares? Can’t they ask for an autograph when they get to class?
It sounds like what many of those can-I-double-deposit students out there really want to hear is that the college will find a way to open safely in the fall.