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A lot has been said and written about the ever increasing tuition fee in our country. The four year degree course has been in the news for probably more wrong reasons than right ones. However, a recent study shows that the situation is not as bad as some of the people and experts think it is. This statement is backed up by concrete proof, when the entire situation is looked at with the help of a Net Price calculator. To get into details, tuition fee of 2012-13 should be compared with that of 2007-08.

Yes, there has been in the increase in the average prices as far as published tuition is concerned since 2007. However, average student has not really been required to take responsibility of most of the rising cost. If public colleges are taken into consideration, students are paying an average of $440 more as tuition fee today that what was being required back in 2007.

On the other hand, when private colleges and institutes are taken into consideration, the results are even more baffling. The average cost has actually come down by $490 if calculated as per the inflation adjusted dollars. Usually, it is the private colleges that have always come under the scrutiny of growing tuition fee.

Grant approved by state governments, federal governments and the colleges themselves have also been able to take care of a majority part of the growing fee. Eventhough there has been an increase in the average published tuition, the jump is almost negligible, courtesy tax benefits and Pell grants that are on offer. This clearly states that alongwith the tuition fee, the grants approved have also increased over the past 5 years.

One of the issues that have gained a lot of limelight is the increasing published prices of private schools and colleges. It is a natural reaction to notice that the cost has gone too high when someone looks at a bigger picture. However, when you look into the minute details, you realize that the net amount paid by each student has not changed much at all. The difference between the net cost paid in 2007 and 2012 is slightly more than $4 per student.

The report states that students and the parents should make use of the net price calculator to see how much they actually spent on higher educational facilities. Only then, will each student be able to analyze the exact amount spent. Unfortunately, many of the students and their families are looking at overall costs and drifting towards incorrect conclusions and assumptions. The report also stated that net cost per student should be displayed online by every college.

Once the net prices are available for prospective students to see, they will be in a batter position to compare colleges and finally opt for the institute that they feel they can afford. This approach will automatically lead to increase in the overall numbers of student enrolling in colleges every year.