Ithaca (WSYR-TV) - Some would-be college freshman are earning money by not going to school this year.
Ithaca College decided to offer most of this year’s freshman class a $10,000 tuition credit if they chose not to come to campus this fall.
The school saw enrollment decline last school year, but suddenly found itself with 250 more students than it expected.
Just looking at its brand new admissions building, you can see the campus is growing -- but even the school didn't really anticipate Ithaca College would become the school of choice for so many high school seniors just before the deadline.
"They told me they would give me money if I went abroad, because there's too many freshmen -- I'd get $10,000 towards next year’s tuition,” says IC freshman Courtney Rome.
But Rome decided to come to school anyway: 31 students, though, decided to take the money and hold off on coming to campus, giving them time to do other things this school year.
"We've got one student who is taking this year to teach English in Costa Rica, others that are traveling to England, Australia, Spain, Peru, some that are working in their local communities in service projects," says Ithaca College Vice President of Enrollment Eric Maguire.
Maguire points to a higher admittance rate and more financial aid as reasons the school went well above its enrollment target.
"It's certainly better than the other problem, which is a significant underenrollment on the part of the institution, so all in all it's a positive for the school with some noticeable challenges," he says.
The school had to put up some temporary dorms over the summer at a cost of $2.5 million just to deal with about 100 extra freshmen coming in.
With the majority of freshmen passing on the incentive, the school has spent over $1 million for faculty to handle the larger number of students.
Still, with all the costs, Maguire says the overenrollment of so many extra students will move the college from a planned deficit to a modest surplus.
The college also offered $2,000 credits to upperclassmen to move off campus, opening up more dorm space.
