As public colleges and universities respond to an economic downturn with tuition hikes and caps on admissions, private colleges and universities are trying a different approach.

Across the state – and the country – private schools responded with the smallest average increase in nearly 40 years, at 4.3 percent. And many officials – including those at two private schools in the region – report that they've admitted more students.

The modest increase represents a sea change in the way some private school officials are thinking about the bottom line.

"Even in a tight time when endowments are down, we made a conscientious decision to increase access and affordability," said Jonathan Brown, president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.

For the past 10 years, tuition has increased about 6 percent annually at private institutions. In contrast, University of California officials announced a whopping 9.3 percent increase this spring for undergraduate programs to compensate for state budget cuts.

Private schools know that the change won't make them more affordable overnight, but it's part of a long-range plan to bridge the tuition gap between private and public schools.

The University of the Pacific in Stockton pared its annual tuition increase to 4.5 percent, down from an average 5 percent increase for the past 10 years. It also waived its application fee and increased financial aid packages 5 percent.

"We read the tea leaves and implemented a more aggressive admissions strategy," said Robert Alexander, UOP associate provost for enrollment.

Without state funding, many private schools rely on tuition to meet budget. So they can't afford to decrease enrollment.

"As long as we have students, we are in very solid shape," Alexander said.

At least partially as a result of their efforts, applications have tripled this year.

Among the incoming freshman class is Brianna Juhrent, who graduated from Ponderosa High School in Shingle Springs. Juhrend, 18, knew UOP was her top choice over several more affordable state schools where she was accepted. But she said her family didn't make the decision until they had secured enough scholarship funds to make the cost comparable to state schools.

"Up until we found out that she had that scholarship, we were looking at everything openly," said her mother, Lisa Juhrend.

Schools with the largest endowments are experiencing what association president Brown calls a "poverty of wealth." Stanford University, for example, saw its endowment dive 30 percent this year. The university raised its tuition a quarter of a percent, an exception to the trend, but it stood by its financial aid packages.

"If it was a year ago, we probably wouldn't have launched our new financial aid programs," said Karen Cooper, director of financial aid. "But I'm really proud of the university, we're holding fast to the announcements that were made."

Some of the most dramatic measures to keep enrollments up are being taken by the smallest schools.

William Jessup University in Rocklin is one of two colleges in the country known to have decreased tuition. Jessup, a Christian school that expects about 110 incoming freshmen this fall, dropped its tuition 2.5 percent this year.

"By making it more accessible to more students, more students can come," said Vance Pascqua, director of traditional undergraduate admissions. "The net difference ends up being in your favor."

Call The Bee's Julie Johnson, (916) 321-5287.