Why One Small College Was Able to Cut Its Tuition by 62 Percent

Colby-Sawyer College, a small private school tucked away in New Hampshire, is making the surprising choice to lower its undergraduate tuition by about 62 percent. That means that undergraduate students who start next fall will have to pay $17,500 in tuition each year, instead of the previous $46,000. On its face, that seems like a pretty big deal, since among private four-year institutions, tuition is on average about $37,641 annually. But lest you think that this announcement is a genuine effort to bring about financial relief to those suffering from the student debt crisis, realize that this is mainly a savvy marketing ploy.