<p>College Tuition
1. Middlebury College $45,935
2. Sarah Lawrence College $44,220
3. The George Washington University $44,103
4. Vassar College $44,050
5. Connecticut College $43,990
6. Bucknell University $43,628
7. Wesleyan University $43,404
8. St. Johns College $43,256
9. University of Richmond $43,170
10. Carnegie Mellon University $43,160 </p>
<p>Highest Tuition and Fees 2011-2012</p>
<p>College Tuition + Fees
1. Middlebury College $46,315
2. Columbia University $45,290
3. Sarah Lawrence College $45,212
4. Vassar College $44,705
5. The George Washington University $44,148
6. Trinity College (CT) $44,070
7. Connecticut College $43,990
8. Bucknell University $43,866
9. Carnegie Mellon University $43,812
10. Wesleyan University $43,674</p>
<p>Tallgirl: source? Middlebury has yet to break out their costs and only provide the “comprehensive fee” (room, board, tuition, and fees), and so this is new. Middlebury has dropped down the list of total costs within its peer group as a result of three years of relatively small increases in the comp fee, so again, this data is a bit odd.</p>
<p>SOURCE:
“Welcome to the 5th annual ranking of most expensive colleges compiled by Campus Grotto. While the names on this list haven’t changed much over the years, the numbers sure have” CampusGrotto.com</p>
<p>tallgirl–here’s the problem with that ranking. Middlebury is a residential college with a comprehensive fee that includes tuition, room & board. If you choose to live off campus, the college (in effect) penalizes you by giving you a small discount from the comprehensive fee (thereby making the tuition artificially inflated). Middlebury does not break out tuition from its comprehensive fee. Campus Grotto did the calculations themselves by subtracting the room and board discount from the comprehensive fee (which is deceptive IMHO).</p>
<p>When looking at colleges, most people will look at the overall cost (which you conveniently neglect to link to). I’ll do you a favor and post the overall rankings below.</p>
<p>Tallgirl, the total cost of attending most colleges is irrelevant for 50-60+ percent of the students; they receive financial aid resulting in paying a discounted rate. Or, in many cases, the student receives an education grātīs. For the remaining families who have to pay the full cost, well, the rich have to pay their fair share. Oboma said so.</p>
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<p>I’m not sure John Wesley wants to highlight Wes is the seventh most expensive college in the country despite, according to some, being located in a depressing city…unless he attempts to make one believe you get what you pay for. It’s not a argument I’d pursue, but with John you never know.</p>
<p>As an aside (kinda), the “value” of a comprehensive fee should not be underestimated, especially at a school like Midd. While I don’t have a perfect control group, the amount of money spent on food on some of these campuses that may SEEM less expensive is pretty high. The food at Midd is good. Yes, they go out to eat sometimes, but when compared to most meal plans (or schools where food is horrid), it’s a bargain that probably saves me a minimum of a grand in S’s spending money. </p>
<p>Finally, as someone who doesn’t pay a discounted rate, when you’re not comparing aid packages that can result in 10’s of thousands in discounts, there really isn’t a HUGE difference between 50K and 55K or anywhere in between, and it really does become about finding the best academic and personal fit.</p>
<p>As someone who has experience with this issue, allow me to offer another perspective.
My oldest daughter attended a LAC were the food and housing were fabulous, so all was good.</p>
<p>Second kiddo…dorm, fabulous…food, not so much. Thankfully, at her LAC (Vassar) you can choose between various meal plans.
At what amounts to $11.00 per/meal, many of the students opt for a meal plan that allows you limited meals, but they eat much better and more cheaply cooking in the dorm, eating at the on campus deli or at one of the great and very reasonably priced restaurants adjacent to campus or a short ride. As a parent who is paying full price at the alleged 17 th most expensive college in the country, I appreciate the options.</p>
<p>Also, some colleges have stratified fees for dorms and meal plans.
Being able choose a less expensive housing and/or meal option is a plus for many families. e.g. Denison
And please, no one start the rant stratified housing options amplify the disparity of wealth among students.</p>
<p>Lastly, as Moda and I have learned, transportation costs and issues related to traveling to and from college can be substantial. Another consideration.</p>
<p>We have this argument every year with one or another top LAC: Why Is Wesleyan’s Room and Board $2,000 higher than [name of LAC, here]. As you can see from the following link, the difference can be accounted for by Wesleyan’s two-tiered housing fee, one for first-year housing which consists mostly of dormitories and another for upper-class housing which does not.
: [Room</a> Rates - Wesleyan University](<a href=“http://www.wesleyan.edu/reslife/ugrad_housing/room_rates.html]Room”>http://www.wesleyan.edu/reslife/ugrad_housing/room_rates.html)
The difference boils down to about $2,000.</p>
<p>Unlike some competing LACs (which shall remain nameless) located in small, isolated, Alpine villages (often with the same name) and little or no local housing stock, Wesleyan’s housing portfolio includes a significant portion of college-owned wood-frame houses that have been bought up over the years within the surrounding, largely middle-class, neighborhood.</p>
<p>Some people DO believe that being able to maintain an adult lifestyle, with one’s own kitchen and common rooms, within walking distance of friends with their own houses, and with people you’ve chosen to live with rather than assigned by some arbitrary “Commons” or “Entry” system – are well worth the extra two grand.</p>
<p>My son compared living in his Feb freshman dorm at Midd to “a luxury hotel” He could walk to breakfast in slippers and jammies.
My second son spent no extra money on food last year. He bought some ziplock bags and made sandwiches for later. No lie.He came home in May with money in his bank account.But that’s his personality.
He lived in the freshman dorm known as “the projects” and it was not the same experience Mr. Feb had. But this year he is in a spacious double with a great view of the Adirondacks.
We actually have lived in a genuine alpine village in the past-no crime, leave your bike outdoors unlocked, plenty of fresh air and sunshine, know all your neighbors with great community feeling-
Maybe that’s part of why they are so happy at Midd…</p>
<p>johnwesley — but Wes has only become among the most expensive schools over the past 5-7 years, and so this $2000 no-problem add-on for what you describe as more adult living was not a $2000 premium long ago. But now it is ok given what, the financial crisis?</p>
<p>The reality is, the full cost of these institutions is remarkably similar despite huge differences in their wealth (endowments), but that is for another string.</p>
<p>However, nameless college owns a ski resort (of the same name as shall remain nameless college) and manages a golf course walking distance from nameless college. To mention nothing about an internationally renown summer writers’ conference and graduate school of English located in a beautiful mountain setting and named after a food in the starch category. It’s all about priorities.</p>
<p>If you want to make an argument owning a few old houses trumps aforementioned facilities, I’m open to discussion :)</p>
<p>^^Believe me, Nameless College does not want to get into a shooting match with Wesleyan about what would trump those aforementioned facilities . :)</p>
<p>I think by far the most striking thing about that list is how little difference there is in total cost in the top 70 most expensive places. Bottom line, if you’re going to pay full boat, a top-tier school is going to set you back close to $55K/yr (as of now). Differences from one elite institution to the next are pretty trivial in comparison.</p>
<p>Side note: where’s Pomona? Every other Claremont college is on the list and the lowest is 26th.</p>
<p>I think there are some pretty interesting and unique college-owned housing options at Nameless College, many of which are actual houses with full kitchens.</p>