New enrollment figures from 20 selective colleges provide mounting evidence of a backslide in Black enrollment. On almost all of the campuses, Black students account for a smaller share of new students this fall than in 2023.
The Department of Education implores these universities to return to standardized testing, limit international students and freeze tuition for five years.
Northwestern University has the lowest estimated all-in price among the top 10 universities for the 2025-26 school year at $77,516 to $96,236, depending on whether students live on campus or in an off-campus apartment, according to the school.
After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans schools emphasized college for all, but many students faced financial and personal struggles. Now, the KIPP charter school network has shifted its focus to both college and career options to better support students' diverse needs.
Although paying this tab is easy, getting in may not be. Each of these schools has high academic standards, experts say—and in return for a degree at no cost, the commitment they require, even after graduation, is steep.
