Many private colleges participate in tuition freeze for upcoming school year

In an attempt to lure in a more diverse student body, private colleges across the country have taken a stand against annual tuition rate hikes, freezing the cost of college for students going into the 2013-2014 school year.

According to a survey from the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, 24 private schools froze tuition rates for 2012, bucking trends from the previous decade that have seen fees steadily increase year over year.

Even schools that did increase tuition and fees for students have done so at a lower rate than ever. Catholic University in Washington D.C., for example, only raised the cost of attendance by 3 percent for students over the past year – the smallest increase in three decades, the source reports.

"The recession that we’ve gotten through and the doldrums we’re in with the economy right now are affecting the ability of families to pay for school. It’s something we have to be sensitive to," Catholic University President John Garvey told The Washington Post.

The newspaper reports that freezes are increasing the attendance of students who come from families with meager financial means at several highly prestigious schools.

One example highlighted by the source was D.C. resident Lauren Seely, who had been accepted at a number of high-profile colleges and universities but decided to go with Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts because the school enacted a tuition freeze in 2012. By doing this, it proved to Seely that the school wouldn't take steps to make paying for college more difficult to afford once she enrolled.

For students looking to attend the best schools within their family's price range, the experts at College Financing Group can provide consultation that will help make the decision easier.