Grace College and its innovative plan to cut the cost of a college education has received some ink in the Los Angeles Times. A portion of the article appears below. Click here to read the complete story.
Professor floats idea of three-year B.A. to cut college costs
In theory, it’s a simple idea. With the cost of attending college rising, why not reduce the typical time for a bachelor’s degree from four years to three?
That’s the proposal floated by Johns Hopkins University professor Paul Weinstein in the latest edition of the Progressive Policy Institute. In his paper, Weinstein found that a four-year degree at a public school costs, on average, $35,572 in 2013. A three-year degree at a similar institution would cost $26,679 — a 25% savings.
Weinstein’s idea isn’t original. Some campuses, including Bates College in Maine and Wesleyan University in Connecticut, have instituted similar programs, but widespread implementation is rare, Weinstein said. In the last five years, 22 private, nonprofit colleges have begun offering three-year degrees, according to the National Assn. of Independent Colleges and Universities. …
Yet, for all the hand-wringing, there’s been little progress at reining in the cost of college. A handful of smaller, private colleges, however, has slashed tuition; officials at Grace College in Winona Lake, Ind., recently decided to lower tuition by 9% next year. (The school also offers a three-year degree).
Click here to read the complete story.