当然，这一切都需要成本。尼尔森和哈维都清楚，在最早的这一批学生身上投入的成本将超出学生们支付的学费（如果把奖学金也算在内的话，将更加入不敷出）。他们俩都不确定何时才能达到收支平衡。但尼尔森说过，如果密涅瓦的学生人数能够达到其母校宾夕法尼亚大学（The University of Pennsylvania）的水平（大约25,000人），就能实现盈利。

    哈维认为，没有实际的基础设施建设，也不需要聘用研究型教授，这些将会让密涅瓦降低成本。但后面一点有待商榷，因为研究型教授带来的投资通常超过他们的聘用成本。但哈维认为，从长远来看，要像打造一款奢侈品品牌那样来打造密涅瓦大学。

    “奢侈品牌的核心在于高门槛。日用消费品中的奢侈品意味着高成本。而教育行业的奢侈品则意味着高水平的录取标准。密涅瓦保证了名校的招生标准，但并未刻意制约达到录取标准的学生人数。它将重新定义精英教育。”

    译者：李玫晓/汪皓

    All of this does, of course, cost money and both Nelson and Harvey acknowledge that Minerva's initial students will cost more than they pay (particularly once potential scholarships are factored in). Neither would identify a break-even point, except for Nelson saying that Minerva would be profitable if it got to the point of having as many students as his alma matter, The University of Pennsylvania (approx. 25,000).

    Benchmark's Harvey said that Minerva would save money by eschewing physical infrastructure and research-focused professors. Not quite clear on the latter point, given that such folks generally bring in more money than they cost (via matching grants), but his broader point is that building Minerva is a lot like building a luxury brand.

    "Luxury brands are about elite access. In consumer goods, that's elite cost. In education, it's elite criteria for admission. Minerva is maintaining those high standards, but not artificially limiting the number of people who can meet it.... This really may be redefining education."