Though tuitions are rising and government budgets for education programs have been slashed, there are still deals to be had at colleges across the country. With a little digging, students and parents may be able to uncover savings that will ease the financial burden of higher education, sometimes by thousands of dollars.
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Colleges nationwide are implementing initiatives such as these to ease some costs of the college experience:
1. Save on tuition: Little-known ways to save on tuition exist for students and families willing to hunt for the benefits. Guaranteed tuition programs are one route for parents and students to consider, as they offer predictable and often attractive tuition rates, sometimes geared to specific demographics. At the University of Texas—Dallas, for example, in-state students pay a set tuition price for up to 12 consecutive semesters (four years with the option to take summer courses) through the school's Guaranteed Tuition Rate Plan. Especially motivated Texas residents get an extra benefit: Since the program charges hourly for up to 15 credit hours a semester, any additional credit classes can be taken for free. "What happens is that you have an incentive to graduate sooner," notes Jenni Huffenberger, assistant director for communications at UT—Dallas.
Conversely, the University of Colorado—Boulder guarantees a flat tuition rate for four years to its out-of-state undergraduates. Regional tuition breaks are another typically obscure source of funding for out-of-state students; programs are offered to students in almost every state for studying in the same region they live, and can save families thousands of dollars in tuition.
2. Save on campus visits: For students who'd like to venture further afield, some schools reward families who have a long trek to visit the school. At Drexel University in Philadelphia, prospective freshmen and transfer students who live at least 150 miles away and still pay a visit to campus are eligible to recoup up to $500 of their travel costs, should they later be accepted and choose to attend the school.
Other schools reward students who visit with a tuition break. It doesn't matter how near or far you live to Loyola University New Orleans; every student who makes an official campus visit is now awarded a one-time, $1,000 tuition discount if they later enroll. Because the school has recent renovations to showcase, and since about 60 percent of its student body hails from more than 500 miles away, the administration wanted to incentivize a pre-college visit, says Keith Gramling, director of enrollment management.
"It's important for students coming from so far away to get a chance to really experience both Loyola and New Orleans for themselves," Gramling says. "We've seen a dramatic increase in our campus visits."
[Can't make it to campus? Use these five Web sites to experience a college from the comfort of your own home.]
3. Save on books: Campus visits can also pay off in other areas of paying for college, at least at the University of Dayton. The Ohio institution recently rolled out a new offer to prospective students: Visit campus, fill out the FAFSA, get accepted—and then get four years of textbooks for free. For the university, it's a way to market itself with a unique, tangible benefit for students and parents.
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rajasekhar 8:18AM August 03, 2012
Jen of CA 10:04AM September 17, 2011
OJUKWU ESTHER of NE 5:08PM August 27, 2011