Assessing big changes: Tuition, parking, housing

Welcome back to another year at Carroll College. Whether you’re a first-time freshman, a soon-to-be graduate, or somewhere in the middle, major changes are coming to Carroll.

On Sept. 9, Carroll announced that its published undergraduate price will be 40% lower beginning in fall 2027, with tuition set at $26,800. General undergraduate student fees will also be eliminated, bringing the published price from the current $44,712 to $26,800.

When students first heard the news, there was a lot of confusion and frustration. If tuition is dropping by almost $18,000, does that mean current students are going to get the same deal? Are we just out of luck because we enrolled before 2027?

Understandably, some students were frustrated. Seeing a 40% tuition reduction announced when you are already paying thousands of dollars to attend the same college is enough to make anyone wonder what is going on.

But the situation is more complicated than that.

Carroll is lowering the price it advertises, but it is also changing the amount of institutional scholarship money attached to that price. The college calls this a “tuition reset,” meaning the published tuition is lowered while institutional aid is recalculated around the new amount.

For current students, the new model will begin in fall 2027. Carroll says institutional scholarships and grants will be adjusted along with the lower tuition. Assuming a student’s circumstances and enrollment stay the same, the college says their out-of-pocket cost should be about the same or potentially lower than what they would have paid under the current model.

So, current students can take a sigh of relief — at least when it comes to the fear that we are going to be stuck paying the old price while incoming students get a huge discount.

But it is also important to understand why students were so quick to think they were about to get screwed over.

If there is one thing Carroll students have learned over the last few years, it is that policies can change.

For the class of 2027, housing policies have changed almost as often as Montana weather.

When many of us started at Carroll, students were required to live on campus for only two years. That requirement was later extended to three years, or six semesters.

Now, Carroll has changed the policy again.

Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, students are required to live on campus for their first two years, while Carroll guarantees housing placement for their first three years. The new policy gives students more flexibility while still providing some stability, but for students who have experienced these changes firsthand, it is another reminder that the rules can change during the time we are here.

Housing isn’t the only policy students have watched change.

Parking has also become a familiar frustration for Carroll students. Before the policy changed, students did not have to pay a separate annual fee for a standard campus parking permit. Beginning in 2025, students taking six or more credits who wanted to park on campus were required to pay $25 for an annual permit.

Now, $25 probably isn’t going to break the bank. But honestly, that isn’t really the point.

For students who enrolled at Carroll expecting one set of policies, having those policies change after the fact can be frustrating. It is not always about the amount of money. Sometimes it is about consistency and knowing what you are signing up for when you choose a college.

That is why I think the tuition reset is about more than just the $26,800 number.

Carroll has a reason for making this change. The college says families often see the $44,712 published price and immediately assume Carroll is too expensive. They may never apply, visit campus, or find out what they could actually pay after scholarships and financial aid.

From that perspective, a lower published price makes sense. If a student sees $26,800 instead of $44,712, they may be more likely to take a second look at Carroll.

But there is another side to this. A $26,800 tuition price does not mean it will cost $26,800 to attend Carroll.

Housing and food are still separate expenses. For 2027-28, Carroll currently lists housing and food at $12,600 per year, putting the total direct cost at about $39,400 before financial aid.

And that is before considering each student’s individual scholarships, grants, housing choices, meal plan, and other expenses.

So when we hear “40% tuition reduction,” it is important to remember that the number does not tell the whole story.

That does not mean the tuition reset is a bad thing. It could make Carroll more appealing to students who might have ruled it out because of the old sticker price. It could also make the cost of a private college easier for families to understand.

But students still deserve to know exactly what is changing.

1. What will my scholarship look like in 2027?
2. What will I actually pay?
3. Will tuition continue to increase after 2027?
4. What will happen to housing costs?
5. What other policies could change before I graduate?

Those are fair questions.

Carroll has said that the tuition reset will not mean cuts to academic programs, student services, or the opportunities students have on campus. The goal is to change the price without changing the Carroll experience.

Hopefully, that is exactly what happens. Because from a student’s perspective, it can be difficult when the policies and costs that were part of the decision to attend Carroll keep changing.

Housing changed.

Parking changed.

Now tuition is changing.

Maybe that is just part of going to college. Colleges change, policies change, and costs change. But students should still be able to ask questions and expect clear answers.

So, as we start another year at Carroll, let’s see what comes next.

Maybe the new tuition model will bring more students to Carroll. Maybe it will make the college more accessible to families who previously thought it was out of reach. Maybe it will work exactly as Carroll hopes.

  We will have to wait and see. For now, welcome back, Saints. No matter what changes, have a good year.