http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/kids-money/article19159263.html
I think fixed tuition rate for 4 years is a great idea.
Isn’t simply not having to pay for more than 4 years of college incentive enough?
The Texas B-On-Time loan sounds great! I don’t know why I never heard about it before. Am I reading it correctly - that a Texas resident student can borrow $8000 per year and have the loan forgiven as long as he graduates with a 3.0 within 4 years of enrollment?
http://www.hhloans.com/index.cfm?objectid=b00c090d-e45d-4f4b-89da195959930185
Temple University in Philadelphia PA has the fly-in-4 program:
http://admissions.temple.edu/cost-and-aid/fly-in-4
If you don’t finish your course work in four years, they will reimburse you. Pretty great deal.
This would appear to be at odds with the students who claim that universities have pointedly hindered their academic progress in order to extort additional tuition.
Public universities want their in-state students to graduate as soon as they can; every extra semester (or credit of course work) taken consumes additional in-state tuition subsidy.
Howard is the exception to the list here, as it is private. But perhaps it has some significant external subsidy that it needs to conserve in a similar manner that public universities have.
Maybe the “the stick”, rather than “the carrot”, will provide a greater incentive. Impose a schedule for decreasing the in-state subsidy after X number of credits.
You would think so, but there are enough people who screw this up (either through their own fault or because of circumstances outside of their control) that 5- and 6-year graduation rates are things that colleges measure.
What they usually mean is that some required classes are not available every semester or every year. This trips up some students if they take a non-standard path through a major, usually by changing majors late in their academic careers. Calling it ‘extortion’ is a little much; the issue is that not all universities can offer every class every semester. It costs a lot to offer a class and if only a handful of people need it there might not be staff or space available for it.
“Sticks” already exist, though more in terms of just not allowing students to register to excess courses or credits.
http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html
http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/120plus/
Infrequent offering of required courses tend to be more of an issue at smaller schools and smaller departments. If a required junior/senior-level course is offered once every two years, then a student may only have one chance to take it.
“perhaps it has some significant external subsidy that it needs to conserve in a similar manner that public universities have.”
Howard may just want to get their graduation rates up. Their 4-year rate is around 40% and 6-year in the low 60s, which is not commensurate with their historical standing or the kind of academic institution they aspire to be.
On the texas B on TIme
Does this mean you have to qualify for need based aid?
“Have completed a FAFSA and be eligible to receive federal financial aid.”
Good question. And since unsubsidized Stafford loans are considered to be federal financial aid, does that mean that even those with high EFCs quality for the Texas B-On-Time plan?
@patsmom I found this:
RULE §21.124 Initial Eligibility for Loans
(5) is eligible for federal financial aid, except that the student is not required to meet any financial need requirements applicable to other financial aid programs.
I think the answer to our question may be yes, this is an option for those with high EFC!
hmm… wondering if a National Merit kid at Texas Tech could get this 
They could make money by going to school!