Why smart colleges keep tuition high and promise the aid to cut it

By Jana Kasperkevic. Parents approach college tuition as they do bargain-shopping: the illusion of value means more than slashing the sticker price. For many Americans, paying for college is roll of a dice. You make a wish, close your eyes, roll and hope you hit a jackpot.
For me, it was more like a game of roulette. I placed my bets on a number of private colleges – all with vastly different tuition bills – hoping that at least one would pan out both educationally and financially. It didn’t quite happen that way. More...