My First Million

The best business ideas come from noticing what's working and doing it better, faster, or for a different audience.

College Tuition Negotiation Platform

For: High school students and parents navigating college admissions and financial decisions

Buildability

The Problem

Students don't realize they can negotiate tuition prices with colleges, especially at tuition-dependent institutions, leaving money on the table.

The Solution

Platform that educates students about negotiation opportunities and provides tools, scripts, and data to negotiate better tuition rates.

Why Now?

Many colleges struggling financially due to enrollment declines, making them more willing to negotiate. Students increasingly price-conscious about college costs.

Build MVP in 7 Days

Day 1

Research which types of colleges most likely to negotiate

Day 2

Create basic negotiation script templates

Day 3

Build simple landing page to test demand

Day 4

Interview 20 recent college students about tuition negotiation experiences

How to Validate

Test negotiation scripts with current high school seniors

Survey colleges about their negotiation policies

Partner with college counselor to pilot service

Analyze correlation between college financial health and negotiation success

Revenue Model

Percentage of tuition savings achieved, or flat fee per negotiation attempt

Competitive Moat

Data on which colleges negotiate and successful negotiation strategies

Risks to Consider

Colleges refuse to work with students using negotiation servicesLimited number of colleges actually willing to negotiateLow success rates make service not worth costLegal or regulatory issues around education consulting