Groupon Takes Aim at College Tuition

The skyrocketing costs of college tuition combined with the less than welcoming current job market can be quite daunting for recent graduates. Chicago-based Groupon is looking to ease some of that anxiety. On Tuesday, Groupon featured a graduate-level “introduction to teaching” course at National Louis University for roughly 40% of the original cost. The deal is for one, three credit class, which can be applied toward a graduate degree, and is available until Wednesday. Only available for 25 prospective students, the cost of the class would normally cost $2,232. Groupon, however, will be offering it for $950. “There are all kinds of factors in the K-12 world that are really discouraging teachers and people seeking teaching degrees. We'd like potential students to understand what the realities are, whether you are committed to this profession, and see if you have what it takes,” said Jocelyn Zivin, vice president of marketing and communications for National Louis. “We wanted the course to cover the broad and deep landscape of teaching,” Zivin added. The endeavor may open up a whole new market for the Groupon, as soaring tuition costs continue to hamper current students. It is the first time that an academic university has used the online dealmaker in an effort to increase student interest. Should Groupon be able to build upon this model, it could lead to a huge jump in revenue in the future. There is no doubt that prospective students will be lining up for such savings.