Colleges Reduce Out-of-State Tuition To Lure Students
Flagship public universities have long sought a national student body in their quest for the best students and a reputation for excellence. Public campuses in states with shrinking populations have also looked to out-of state students. But now more state universities appear to be doing so — and reducing the differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition to be more appealing.

A Cure For The College-Bound Blues
The transition from high school to college is not what it used to be. Freshmen show up on campus with stress from the admissions chase and parents hovering a text-message away. For them, the gap year is a way to reclaim what has been lost.

Math Suggests College Frenzy Will Soon Ease
Projections show that by next year or the year after, the annual number of high school graduates in the United States will peak at about 2.9 million after a 15-year climb. The number is then expected to decline until about 2015. Most universities expect this to translate into fewer applications and less selectivity, with most students probably finding it easier to get into college.

More College Students Go On Study Abroad Programs
The number of U.S. students receiving academic credit for studying abroad increased 150 percent in the past decade, from fewer than 90,000 students in 1996 to more than 223,500 in 2006, according to Open Doors 2007, a report by the Institute of International Education.

You Want A Recommendation From … Mom and Dad?
When colleges build a freshman class, they check the objective details of students’ high school lives: grades, test scores and the rest. They get more personal with student essays and teacher evaluations. And for still more, some are turning to parents.