High Graduation Rates, High Price Tags
How do four-year graduation rates tie to colleges and acceptance rates?
It should be safe to assume that degree of difficulty regarding acceptance would prove itself as a top-tier link, and that is certainly a factor. However, another towers over that facet, proving itself as the stronger correlation: tuition.
According to U.S. News Education, these ranked as the top 10 colleges with the highest reported graduation rate percentages:
| Pomona College (CA) | 92.8% |
| Haverford College (PA) | 91.1% |
| Davidson College (NC) | 89.9% |
| University of Notre Dame (IN) | 89.8% |
| Vassar College (NY) | 89.7% |
| Amherst College (MA) | 89.6% |
| Carleton College (MN) | 89.6% |
| Williams College (MA) | 89.6% |
| Yale University (CT) | 89.6% |
| Hamilton College (NY) | 89.5% |
Take Haveford College in Pennsylvania, for instance. You can expect the tuition to break the bank, and it does, at around $47,000 per semester. With the average at $22,203 for out-of-state residents in the 2014-15 school year, Haveford charges over twice the median tuition amount. Admission rates are certainly a telling percentage, as well; for Haveford, it floated at 23.5% as of fall 2013.
Similarly, Davidson College in North Carolina averaged $45,377 in tuition and fees for 2014-15 and a slightly higher acceptance rate: 25.6%.
Keep in mind the U.S. Department of Education—wherein these percentages derive—only considers full-time students into their metrics, discounting part-time and transfer students.
While the graduation rates are undoubtedly impressive and causes one or more of them to situate a spot on your top college list, make sure you can cover part of their increased tuition with financial aid or other equally cost-saving means.
Westface College Planning helps navigate the financial aid process from start to finish. To learn how we can minimize college cost, call us at 650-587-1559 or sign up for one of our Tackling the Runaway Costs of College Workshops or Webinars.
Photo Credit: truthout.org
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