Differing tuition rates

[TooTiredMom]

<p>In looking at the Fall 2008 CMU tuition schedules for undergraduates, I noticed that incoming freshman will be paying more in tuition than sophomores. The sophomores are paying more than the juniors and the juniors will be paying more than the seniors.</p>

<p>Why is that?</p>

<p>Is the tuition that a student pays as a freshman the same tuition they will pay sophomore year, junior year and then their senior year? Is their tuition fixed for the fours years they are at CMU?</p>

[Marilyn]

<p>There is a tuition increase every year. However, the rate of increase is less for enrolled students so each class pays a slightly higher amount than the class before. Per the school paper:</p>

<p>

Incoming first-years will be paying the 10th-highest college tuition in the nation for the 2008–2009 school year…Carnegie Mellon has announced a tuition increase beginning in the 2008 fall semester that will be tiered, or based on students’ entering years. Incoming first-years will see a 6 percent increase from the current tuition, raising the total to $39,150. Current undergraduates will be seeing a 4 percent increase. Students that entered the university in 2005, 2006, and 2007, will pay $35,780, $37,000, and $38,430, respectively.

</p>

[TooTiredMom]

<p>Thanks for the explanation Marilyn- though it was not the one I was hoping for! I thought perhaps the high tuition could be explained by it being constant for the four years. </p>

<p>I have not seen any other private school charge different amounts for the different classes. Do you know why they do that?</p>

[Marilyn]

<p>Well, what CMU says is

Carnegie Mellon has previously used a tiered tuition approach to help reduce the impact of tuition increases on students who are already enrolled at the university.

</p>

<p>But I think they know they can always fill an incoming freshman class no matter what they charge! Worked for us… :(</p>

[RacinReaver]

<p>It’s good because often your financial aid doesn’t go up as tuition goes up. So if CMU was a difficult choice due to costs, then the increase in tuition every year doesn’t hurt as much as for the newest students.</p>

[Lori1122]

<p>its insane…</p>

[888888]

<p>…</p>