Note: We want to share with you that Stetson University has joined Tuition Plan Consortium, a group of more than 270 U.S. private colleges and universities that own and operate the Private College 529 Plan. Private College 529 Plan offers families a guaranteed way to get tomorrow’s tuition at today’s prices, for up to 30 years after it was purchased. The consortium’s news release is shown below.  

 

Future Stetson Students Can Fund Education through Private College 529 Plan

 

St. Louis, March 19, 2012 – Stetson University, with four campuses across Florida, today announced it has joined Tuition Plan Consortium, a group of more than 270 U.S. private colleges and universities that own and operate the Private College 529 Plan. Private College 529 Plan offers families a guaranteed way to get tomorrow’s tuition at today’s prices, for up to 30 years after it was purchased.  As a member school, Stetson University will accept tuition credits purchased by Private College 529 Plan (PC529) participants.

“We work closely with students and their parents to make a Stetson education affordable and we’re excited to be a part of Private College 529 plan,” said Wendy B. Libby, Stetson University President. “This gives families another tool for planning for their children’s college education by offering them the opportunity to lock in tuition at today’s prices. In today’s economic environment, anything that can be done to support college attainment is critical.”

With the future of Florida’s state-run pre-paid tuition plan currently in question due to new legislation which could allow some universities to independently increase tuition rates, rather than face state-imposed caps, the timing of this new addition to the PC529 Plan gives local families a secure option for their children’s future college plans.

 

“StetsonUniversityis a welcome addition to our prestigious consortium of college and universities throughout the country,” said Nancy Farmer, President of the Tuition Plan Consortium.  “As the first private school in Florida, Stetson has set the bar very high and is consistently recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Forbes for its academic excellence. Giving students the opportunity to attend this highly regarded school by offering their families guaranteed tuition rates is a viable solution to ever-increasing college costs and a key component to their college saving planning strategies.”

Through Private College 529 Plan, families can pre-purchase tuition at leading private institutions that may be applied at any participating school for up to 30 years. Participants benefit from eliminating their exposure to tuition inflation and market volatility.

Libby continued, “At Stetson, we dare our students to go beyond success – to significance, and this represents one more way that we can enable them to take part in our Stetson Hatter experience. My husband, Richard, and I have a fondness in our heart for this program and have proudly been involved since 1998. He was the first president, and I was one of the founding members of Private College 529 organization over a decade ago.”

 

A recent survey of Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) conducted by Tuition Plan Consortium found that the ability for parents/guardians to lock in today’s rates for future college tuition costs is the most important feature of Pre-Paid 529 Plans in the eyes of RIAs.

 

Private College 529 Plan can now be followed on Twitter at @PC529Plan and accessed via Facebook at www.facebook.com/PrivateCollege529Plan. 

 

About Private College 529 Plan and the Tuition Plan Consortium

 

Owned and operated by a national consortium of more than 270 leading private colleges and universities, Private College 529 Plan was created by authorization of the U.S. Congress for colleges and their consortia to help families save for college and increase the affordability and accessibility of higher education.PrivateCollege529 Plan enables families to invest in their children’s future by pre-paying tuition at member institutions, protecting their savings from annual tuition inflation.

 

The educational mix of private institutions participating in Private College 529 Plan provides families with a wide range of college choices. As opposed to other state specific congressionally authorized plans, Private College 529 Plan has a national scope, with participating private colleges across the United States. It also differs in that its administrative management is by the institutions themselves as opposed to government. Today, Private College 529 Plan is working for nearly 6,000 families with over $160 million under management. For more information, visit https://www.privatecollege529.com/.

About Stetson University

 

Stetson University in central Florida dares its 3,877 undergraduate and graduate students to go beyond success – to significance. Since 1883, Stetson’s vision has remained constant, engaging students with rigorous academics and instilling civic values for life. An independent university, Stetson offers a comprehensive education in the arts and sciences, business, law and music. Stetson was the first private university inFloridato be awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honor society, and consistently earns high national rankings for academic excellence and community-engaged learning. The university has four locations across Central Florida: DeLand, Gulfport/St. Petersburg, Tampa and Celebration.