Updating
Adjustments to the Independent College 500 Index
Data collection for the 2011-12 Annual Survey of Colleges began in fall 2010 and ended in spring 2011. The IC 500 is computed annually in mid-summer using this data. Normally, conditions at the 500 institutions that comprise the IC 500 remain stable. However, the pool of eligible institutions is reviewed annually, and periodic adjustments may be required such as this year's replacement process. Colleges may close down, or they may experience changes in their relative total direct charges significant enough to affect their inclusion or exclusion in the IC 500.
Other trends in college pricing that have emerged recently include the offering of "pay as you go" meal plans in lieu of traditional board plans and tiered tuition offered to students and families by both level and program.