The Nation - News from July 21, 1987

The University of Wyoming began offering the nation’s first program that allows parents to beat inflation by paying for their children’s college education 10 years in advance. Michigan has approved a prepaid tuition program and at least 28 other states are considering such programs but Wyoming’s plan is unique in that it includes room and board in addition to tuition, UW President Terry Roark said. The prepayments are made in a lump sum at least 10 years before the student is due to enroll. For example, a sponsor of a resident student who would be enrolling at the university in the year 2003 would make a lump sum prepayment of $5,114. For non-resident students the cost would be $8,806. Officials said the projected cost of a four-year education for the 2003-04 school year would be $24,272 for resident students and $41,794 for non-resident students. The program will also apply at Wyoming’s junior colleges, officials said.