Higher and Higher

By MEGAN ROONEY

Many private colleges plan to raise tuition at a rate exceeding inflation and recent increases

Many private colleges are increasing tuition for the 2003-4 academic year, not only by more than the rate of inflation, but also by more than the increases of recent years.

While no national data are available yet, the trend is clear: Thousands of students at private colleges will pay significantly more for tuition than ever before. At most colleges contacted by The Chronicle, tuition