Published Friday, Oct. 2, 1998 "In the 1970s, tuition increases were out of control," said Stephen Eidson, director of admissions at Thiel College in Greenville.
Parents then connected high tuition with institutional prestige, said Cynthia Farrell, Thiel's director of financial aid. However, that is no longer the case, she said.
In more recent years, colleges have been more responsible in raising tuitions, limiting the increases to normal cost increases, Eidson said.
As it hiked tuition rates, Thiel offered grants based on financial need, as well as academic and endowment scholarships. Almost every student received grants or some financial aid, Ms. Farrell said. The aid served as discounts, bringing tuition for many students low enough to reflect the actual cost of a Thiel education, she said.
Hoping to attract more students by avoiding "sticker shock," Thiel announced it will slash tuition by 27 percent beginning with freshmen enrolling in the fall of 1999. That means tuition for new students will be $9,990, instead of the current $13,670.
It will be like buying a new car without the rebates and special deals that get motorists into dealership showrooms.
It also could become a trend among small colleges, Eidson said.
The tuition cut is not a one-shot deal, Ms. Farrell said. If next fall's freshmen return in 2000, their tuition may increase due to inflation, but it won't skyrocket to the current rate, she said.
Students already at the campus will continue paying the current rate, but they also will continue to receive needs-based grants in their financial aid packages, a news release said. Students who do not qualify for needs-based grants will get special grants to bring their out-of-pocket costs down to a comparable rate as that of the new students.
Once the transition is over and all students are paying a lower rate, the college will continue to offer grants and academic and endowment scholarships, Ms. Farrell said. It is possible that the college won't have to offer the needs-based grants to as many students because the need will no longer be there, she said.
