Students entering Adams State University in southern Colorado are getting a break from tuition hikes, as the university locks in tuition for four consecutive academic years for incoming freshmen.
The idea is to help families plan for college costs, says university spokeswoman Julie Waechter. "This way students who are already in school can know what their charges are going to be down the road."
Adams State is the first institution in Colorado to lock in the first year of tuition for on-campus in-state students. The University of Colorado already guarantees out-of-state tuition. Colorado State University Global does the same for online students.
The move may be good for students, but Dustin Weedon has researched guaranteed tuition for the National Conference of State Legislatures, and he says the financial stability it offers to students doesn't necessarily control tuition costs.
"Illinois mandated that all institutions had to offer this program, and what they found is that tuition actually went up more than comparative states that didn't have this policy," Weedon said.
