Is a high discount rate a guaranteed trouble sign for colleges? Not necessarily, experts say -- sometimes colleges can leverage discounts to increase revenue, at least if they are increasing enrollment. But maintaining very high discount rates can be a risky strategy and an indicator a college is in distress. The average discount rate offered by colleges to first-year students has risen significantly in recent years. In 2014 it was 48 percent -- the highest level ever, according to a survey of 411 private colleges by the National Association of College and University Business Officers -- up one-fifth from 2007’s average of 39 percent.

November 25, 2015 ・ From Inside Higher Ed