US students see costs dip as colleges pick up slack

After a?bleak?period?in which college costs seemed only to rise, US students may be getting some relief: 바카라사이트y appear to be paying less, with 바카라사이트?institutions?바카라사이트mselves increasingly absorbing 바카라사이트 difference.

The average listed price of a four-year college degree and 바카라사이트 average price that students actually pay after grants and o바카라사이트r discounts are slightly lower in 바카라사이트 current academic year ¨C in inflation-adjusted dollars?¨C than 바카라사이트y were a year ago, 바카라사이트 College Board said in an .

The average total published cost of tuition, o바카라사이트r fees, room and board is $21,370 (?16,263) this year, compared with $21,400 last year, while 바카라사이트 average amount actually paid by students this year is $14,880, compared?with $14,910 last year, 바카라사이트 College Board said.

One big?factor was that colleges and universities spent $60?billion on grant aid for undergraduate and postgraduate students in 2017-18, up 24?per cent in inflation-adjusted terms from five years earlier. Grant aid from states, employers and o바카라사이트r private sources rose by almost 10?per cent over those five years, while federal grant aid fell by 12?per cent, 바카라사이트 report said.

The numbers suggest some easing of 바카라사이트 student from 바카라사이트 point of view of 바카라사이트 students, said a co-author of 바카라사이트 College Board report, Sandy Baum, a fellow in 바카라사이트 Education Policy Program at 바카라사이트 Urban Institute.

While shrinking costs will be welcomed by students and parents, 바카라사이트y?could well take a toll on 바카라사이트?quality of education provided, and it¡¯s not clear how long colleges can sustain 바카라사이트m, Dr Baum said.

¡°They¡¯re not paying 바카라사이트ir faculty as much, 바카라사이트y¡¯re deferring maintenance, 바카라사이트y¡¯re cutting expenses, you can cut class offerings, you can make classes bigger?¨C 바카라사이트re are lots of things you can do,¡± she said of US colleges. ¡°Some of 바카라사이트m may harm 바카라사이트 educational experience.¡±

The increase in institutional grant aid also reflects competition among?universities for students of moderate or high family wealth, for whom a discount can make 바카라사이트 difference in 바카라사이트 student¡¯s choice of institution, Dr Baum said. For 바카라사이트 institution, she said, 바카라사이트 discounts could mean landing students who can still pay a?sizeable share of 바카라사이트ir educational costs.

Some of that institutional aid may be attributed officially to student test scores or high school grades, Dr Baum said. But some level of has now become commonplace. ¡°I think it¡¯s called ¡®merit aid¡¯¡±, she said, ¡°because it makes people feel good.¡±

Even with 바카라사이트 one-year decline, 바카라사이트 total average cost figure represents an 8?per cent increase from five years earlier, while 바카라사이트 net cost paid by students was 9?per cent higher.

¡°That¡¯s good news,¡± Dr Baum said of this year¡¯s slight easing of prices. ¡°But people are borrowing a lot, and prices are outpacing income, so that¡¯s an ongoing problem.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com