1. An imaginary number invented by college administrators to inspire fear in middle-class
parents and new students.
2. An enormous fee that automatically rises at 3 times the rate of inflation.
3. The catch-all term for huge sums of
money that young pepole start paying at age 18 or 19. Payments usually continue for the next 10-20 years.
College
President: "What should Tuition be next year?"
Comptroller: "Let's me see... $38,000 has a nice ring to it. Of course, we always tack on another $6,000 in fees just for fun, not to mention mandatory health insurance and thost textbooks that cost $100 a
pop."
College
President: "Can we make it $39,000?"
Comptroller: "Why not? Works for me!"