Nobody Pays Sticker Price 🎓🦅
College discounts are deeper than ever
School may finally be out across the nation, but keeping a close eye on colleges—and their costs—never ends. But first, the news…
COLLEGE NEWS
AI may be eroding education: Apparently, many teachers are not OK with the way students are using AI tools in high school, college, or grad school. If it’s true that whoever does the work does the learning, then maybe whoever does the work should get the degree.
Accreditation Southern-style: The UNC system is joining five other Southern states to form a new accreditor for their public universities. In response, SACSCOC, the existing accreditor, said, "Bless your heart."
Free school for returning students: New York just kicked off its new SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program, which covers tuition, books, and supplies for community college students aged 25 to 55. There goes the curve!
BIG IDEA
If a sample of private, nonprofit U.S. colleges and universities represent the whole, hardly anyone is paying full price for tuition anymore. According to the 2024 NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study, schools rolled out the deepest average discounts ever last year: 56.3% for first-time, full-time undergraduates and 51.4% for all undergraduates.
Who is getting aid? Almost everyone:
Most students received grant aid – which covered more than half of their total tuition and fee charges. About 83.4% of all undergraduates at participating institutions received grant aid in 2024–25, up from 82.8% the year before. Study participants estimate the grants in 2024–25 covered 63% of tuition and fees for first-time undergraduates and 58.3% for all undergraduates, up from 61.2% and 57.4%, respectively, in 2023-24.
What does this mean for applicants? Look past the sticker price and work hard to secure better aid packages. The demographic cliff is here, which means overall enrollment is beginning to drop. Colleges use tuition discounts as one of many ways to maintain institutional financial security.
NAME THAT SCHOOL
This week’s institution of higher education has been in the news lately. Can you name it? (Find the answer at the end of the newsletter.)
Founded in 1819 by an American icon who considered it one of his greatest accomplishments.
The first university in the U.S. to be fully secular, with no required religious affiliation for students or faculty.
The heart of campus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of only a handful of colleges worldwide with that honor.
Known for academic excellence across many disciplines from history and government to engineering, medicine, and data science
Hosts a magical lighting ceremony every December where students gather on the Lawn for music and poetry
APPLICATION ACTION STEPS
🎓 Learn the most challenging words from the June SAT.
🎓 Understand the differences between the elite colleges and all the rest.
🎓 Make sure you’re focusing on activities you love.
🎓 Find out how Ben Franklin’s wisdom applies to test prep.
HOTLINE
Do you have any burning questions to ask or want to share an issue, article, or resource our readers should know about? Dial up the College Eagle hotline through this easy form. We appreciate you!
NAME THAT SCHOOL ANSWER
The University of Virginia has been dealing with some stressful challenges lately but will always be the apple of Thomas Jefferson’s eye. Go Cavaliers!