As private colleges nationwide worry that the recession may drive students away to lower-priced public schools, one West Virginia campus is trying out a novel approach.

It's matching public campus prices.

Davis & Elkins College, a liberal arts campus of 600 students in the east-central part of the state, promises to hold its tuition equal to the tuition and fees at the state's flagship school, West Virginia University.

It's a move that also will bring Davis & Elkins much closer to rates at other public campuses with which it competes, including Fairmont State University.

The offer -- a reduction of more than $14,000 per year -- will be available starting this fall to full-time applicants who graduate from high school this spring with at least a 2.5 grade average and live in one of seven counties near the campus.

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU), a group of 952 private campuses, said it knew of only one other school, California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, Calif., that makes a similar pledge.

The offer comes as growing joblessness and worries about financial aid availability are making this recruiting season arguably the most unpredictable in decades. Many private campuses are taking added steps to hold down costs, and some are likely to offer even deeper discounts than usual off their "sticker price" once students go through the financial aid process. But this offer is more direct.

"There is something to be said for the clarity and transparency of being told, up front, this is what you can expect to pay," said Tony Pals, a spokesman for the Washington, D.C.-based NAICU.

"This is an especially innovative approach," he said. "It's one that will be watched closely by other private colleges, especially if enrollment at our institutions decreases this year."

In Pennsylvania, a couple of private four-year schools have published prices less than the state's flagship, Penn State University, including Grove City College. But it's not because of any guarantee, said Don Francis, president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania.

"That's unusual," he said of the Davis & Elkins pledge. "I've never heard of it."

The pledge is among several initiatives aimed at boosting enrollment on the wooded campus in the Potomac Highlands that is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The school in Elkins, about a three-hour drive from Pittsburgh, says those moves explain why applications this year already top 1,000, triple last year's pace.

Almost 90 percent of its students are from in-state or from neighboring Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and Ohio. But the school is attracting fewer students from just beyond its front door, specifically Randolph, Upshur, Barbour, Pocahontas, Tucker, Pendleton and Webster counties. Out of 175 full-time freshmen this year, 55 are from those counties, down from 77 last year.

Price is a factor, says the college, noting the area's relatively low household income.

Rates for next year aren't set, but tuition this year at Davis & Elkins is $19,320, not counting $520 in fees. By comparison, a year's in-state tuition and fees total $5,100 at WVU and $5,024 at Fairmont State.

"Kids were driving by us and going to Fairmont State and WVU," said Kevin Wilson, vice president for enrollment management and chief operating officer.

Those students will soon have a similarly priced alternative near home, thanks to what Davis & Elkins calls its Highlands Scholar program.

Campus President G.T. "Buck" Smith, who took office in July, proposed the program last summer before the extent of the economic slump was known.

He calls it community outreach, saying many local residents would benefit from the personalized attention at a school so small.

"They'll stay here, they'll be entrepreneurial and they'll contribute to the renaissance of the whole state," he said of those who will graduate because of the program. "This is an investment in the community."

And it will help the college fill unused seats.

The school says 200 of its 692 dormitory beds are unused. Presumably, said Mr. Wilson, at least some Highlands Scholars will live on campus.

Davis & Elkins has not capped how many Highlands Scholars it will take, but expects about 50 will enroll, Dr. Smith said. Given the price cut, that suggests a cost to the college of $700,000, though some would already be eligible for the school's tuition discount rate that averages 30 percent.