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Why do US schools like to hide their tuition fees?


Posted Oct 25, 2024 17:41

As a non-American, I've been looking at programs across many US schools as I'm interested in applying there next year, but I find it baffling how schools like to keep their fees really, really well hidden. You often need to navigate 3 or 4 pages from the program overview to get there, or they show you the credit rates and credit hours but they can't just put the tuition fee there. Instead, they make you do the simple calculation.

Is there some psychology behind this? Most European programs I've checked have the fee right there at the very top, easy to see, without anything to hide.

I just find it a bad start and a bad image for prospective students when your potential school hides things from you right from the beginning, even though they know you will find out anyway.
As a non-American, I've been looking at programs across many US schools as I'm interested in applying there next year, but I find it baffling how schools like to keep their fees really, really well hidden. You often need to navigate 3 or 4 pages from the program overview to get there, or they show you the credit rates and credit hours but they can't just put the tuition fee there. Instead, they make you do the simple calculation.

Is there some psychology behind this? Most European programs I've checked have the fee right there at the very top, easy to see, without anything to hide.

I just find it a bad start and a bad image for prospective students when your potential school hides things from you right from the beginning, even though they know you will find out anyway.
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Posted Oct 25, 2024 20:41

If you need to know the price, you can't afford it?
If you need to know the price, you can't afford it?
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Posted Nov 06, 2024 13:35

I agree, I find this so annoying. Of course tuition costs are of interest to prospective students – why hide it?
I agree, I find this so annoying. Of course tuition costs are of interest to prospective students – why hide it?
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Posted Nov 07, 2024 11:39

I think it's a reflection of serving mostly domestic undergraduate students who are not paying themselves, as the debt is paid either by parents, debt or both. So many students obtain financial aid at the top US schools that they are a little like five star hotels: few people are paying the rank rate.
I think it's a reflection of serving mostly domestic undergraduate students who are not paying themselves, as the debt is paid either by parents, debt or both. So many students obtain financial aid at the top US schools that they are a little like five star hotels: few people are paying the rank rate.
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Posted Nov 09, 2024 17:09

I see. It's still a bit of a weird approach to take, I find, but maybe just my bias. It'd be enough to hide it under a tab or a drop-down menu, but often times it's more than 3 or 4 clicks away from the overview page, and you have to do the math yourself. But I get it, most people aren't paying that amount anyway.
I see. It's still a bit of a weird approach to take, I find, but maybe just my bias. It'd be enough to hide it under a tab or a drop-down menu, but often times it's more than 3 or 4 clicks away from the overview page, and you have to do the math yourself. But I get it, most people aren't paying that amount anyway.
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