Tuition: what is the Dealer's cost?

Applying to College
1

<p>Since colleges love to invoke the 'sticker price' image (as in "ignore that sticker price"), let's drop the other shoe, I mean, let's come in from the cold and into 'the manager's office' and ask</p>

<p>what is the college's cost per student?</p>

<p>Obviously, this info MUST exist, else the college would not know when they are going too low (too often) when giving FA.</p>

<p>All savvy car buyers know that you negotiate from the dealer's cost up, and not from the sticker price down.</p>

2

<p>It will vary by institution of course, but, as a veteran employee of several higher education financial and budgeting offices, cost per student is much higher than even full "sticker price" tuition. Income on endowment, donations, research grants, executive and/or community education, etc... make up the difference.</p>