Supporters of free college in the US often point to countries that do not charge tuition to argue for the policy. However, international examples often illustrate that free-college policies entail unintended consequences. Ireland offers a particularly apt case study on that point. In the mid-1990s, Ireland abolished tuition for full-time…

Rapid increases in what colleges charge and what they spend per student have been and remain one of the most controversial aspects of American higher education. Tuition, fees, and other college charges have increased in both the public and private sectors at more than twice the rate of inflation for over a quarter century. Trends over time in what…

Typically, efforts made by colleges and universities to provide more accountability are linked to having institutions provide more information and make their processes more transparent to their various stakeholders. One way in which public institutions can reasonably be held accountable is to rely to a large extent on the relationship they have…

At least one private college, Bennington College (Vermont), has cut tuition, as part of a larger restructuring project. More may follow suit, in hopes of attracting more students. Guidelines to help institutions determine whether such a strategy could be cost effective for them are offered. (MSE)

Rapid increases in college charges for tuitions, fees, and other costs of attendance are analyzed, through an examination of national data sources and case studies of individual institutions. Chapter 1 offers an overview of trends, assesses the causes of increasing college charges, and offers directions for additional research. Chapter 2 explores…

Presents two opinions on the effect of growing federal student loan programs on college tuition: (1) that federal loans have more than tripled as a proportion of the total cost of attendance, while tuition rates have skyrocketed, indicating a connection; and (2) that no reliable evidence shows undergraduate tuition has risen to capture more…

Factors in the rise of college costs are discussed, including increased expenditures, enrollment leveling; state and federal funding patterns, competition, and the declining numbers of traditional college age students. (MSE)

Encourages college and university boards of trustees to plan for a recession despite the current flourishing economy and positive campus finances. Analyzes effects of recessions on tuition and discusses the need for each state to address its long-term structural deficits. Urges the creation of reserves and moderation of spending growth. (DB)

The recent trends in college costs could have a number of far-reaching public policy implications. A growing inability to pay for costs could lead more students to make their educational choice on the basis of price, shifting from the private to the public sector. (MLW)

A debate has raged over the effect of federal student aid on tuition growth. Former Secretary of Education, William Bennett claimed that colleges and universities explicitly take federal aid into account in setting tuition and other charges, thereby stimulating tuition increases that are higher than the rate of inflation. An alternative view is…

College and university trustees and administrators are employing various strategies to deal with financial challenges. These fall generally into five categories: (1) attracting additional revenues to help close the gap between resources and expenses; (2) reassessing tuition and financial aid policies to alter the size or mix of the student body;…