Colleges may offer tuition discounts to attract students

(The Boston Globe, November 30, 2013)

Many public and private schools use tuition discounts to woo students who are unable, or unwilling to pay the full price. These discounts come in the form of institutional grants and scholarships that offset published tuition and fees. As a result, students at the same institution can end up paying different amounts depending on their financial situation, academic standing, or athletic ability. College affordability is just one of the motives behind discounting. Depending on their mission, some institutions use it to attract specific students, to shape their incoming class in terms of demographics, or to boost enrollment.