Lawsuit Claims 40 Universities Colluded on Tuition

A class action lawsuit has been filed against 40 prestigious U.S. universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Georgetown, accusing them of colluding to inflate tuition costs by requiring financial information from noncustodial parents when determining aid. The suit, initiated by a Boston University student and a Cornell graduate, claims this practice has led to increased tuition fees by approximately $6,200 annually for affected students. The plaintiffs are seeking over $5 million in damages and a court order to cease the alleged price-fixing activities, arguing that such practices violate antitrust laws. The College Board, which developed the financial aid methodology in question, is also named as a defendant. The lawsuit alleges that over 20,000 students could be impacted by this alleged conspiracy, which began in 2006 when the College Board pushed for the inclusion of noncustodial parent financial data in aid assessments. Many of the universities mentioned in the lawsuit have declined to comment on the pending litigation.