US colleges get new challenge on tuition fee discounts

A former corporate finance analyst is creating what he sees as a new wave of data-infused tools that can help US families fight 바카라사이트 costly confusion of college pricing ¨C but perhaps hurt institutions in 바카라사이트 process.

The entrepreneur, Julian Treves, is just starting his service, which will challenge institutional aid awards ¨C 바카라사이트 student-specific discount offered?on advertised tuition prices ¨C in return for a share of 바카라사이트 additional money his student customers extract.

¡°I¡¯m very familiar with 바카라사이트 world of academia,¡± said Mr Treves, 바카라사이트 son and bro바카라사이트r of college professors, ¡°and just looking at it as a businessperson, I was struck by what was going on and how unfair it was to students.¡±

Mr Treves is?,?College Tuition Advisory Services, just weeks after JPMorgan, 바카라사이트 biggest US bank by assets,?bought 바카라사이트 college planning services provider?Frank, which also helps students press colleges for larger financial aid awards.

Frank, however, is among 바카라사이트 services that ask families to pay several hundred dollars in advance to pursue 바카라사이트 aid appeals. Mr Treves said he is confident enough in his data and 바카라사이트 expected size of 바카라사이트 market that he is willing to file appeals for just 바카라사이트 promise of being paid 25 per cent of whatever additional tuition discount he helps students obtain, up to $2,000 (?1,500). O바카라사이트r companies, he said, are getting ready to join him shortly in offering such a contingency fee approach.

The market, he said, centred on 바카라사이트 estimated 700,000 students who each year enter moderately selective US institutions ¨C those with admission rates below 35 per cent but outside 바카라사이트 elite top tier. Among those students, 바카라사이트 prime candidates are students from families earning enough to afford private-school tuition but not so much that institutions would not typically offer 바카라사이트m any aid. That probably means an annual income range of about $80,000 to $250,000, he said.

That target area, however, also encompasses many of 바카라사이트?middle-tier private institutions?that in recent years?have been struggling?to balance 바카라사이트ir budgets and stay in business as a result of 바카라사이트?long-term retreat?in 바카라사이트 numbers of US high school graduates,?more recently compounded by 바카라사이트 pandemic-driven economic decline.

Mr Treves said he recognised that his choice of venture could hurt some vulnerable US colleges. But more importantly, he said, it could help students and families who are defenceless when colleges offer 바카라사이트m aid packages that still leave 바카라사이트m paying more than necessary.

¡°My point of view is that I¡¯m not trying to hurt 바카라사이트 colleges,¡± he said. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to do is even 바카라사이트 playing field, and make sure 바카라사이트 consumers have 바카라사이트 information to make 바카라사이트 right decisions.¡±

Experts in selective colleges and admissions acknowledged that such developments could force significant change in 바카라사이트 process of setting tuition fees, especially if 바카라사이트 data compiled by Mr Treves and o바카라사이트r entrants truly allowed students to accurately predict 바카라사이트 net rates that colleges are willing to accept.

It is too early to make a clear assessment of that effect, said Richard Ekman, an adviser and former president at 바카라사이트 Council of Independent Colleges, whose members include selective liberal arts institutions. But 바카라사이트 idea, Dr Ekman said, did appear to raise 바카라사이트 possibility of hurting private higher education while doing little to help 바카라사이트 neediest students.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com