Colby-Sawyer College has joined a growing number of small, private colleges in what’s called the tuition reset, which overhauls prices to reflect what most students actually pay after discounting through need-based and merit financial aid. The reset is part marketing move and part reality check. It is frank recognition among some lesser-known colleges that their prices are something of a feint. They are high in part to mimic the price tag of the most elite colleges and universities — suggesting that this is an education worth paying for — but, in reality, the prices are not based in fact. At Colby-Sawyer, every student gets a discount.
