This week, thousands of high school students nationwide received personalized financial aid estimates directly to their inbox as Cornell works to remove barriers and prove college is affordable.
“In talking with families about aid, we’ve learned it can be challenging for them to understand which financial aid resources listed on college websites will apply to their specific situation,” says Beth Davenport, Cornell’s director of financial aid. “That’s why Cornell is preparing an estimated financial aid summary, generally offered only after students apply, months ahead of time.”
The estimates, a part of Cornell’s Save Your Seat program, are possible because of Cornell’s guaranteed merit scholarships, calculations published by the Department of Education, and analysis of decades of data from aid packages given to students.
“When talking with students, we realized that misconceptions about how much college will cost have made many families hesitant to even consider college,” says Wendy Beckemeyer, Cornell’s vice president for enrollment management. “High sticker prices and horror stories about students accumulating huge college debt loads have created a narrative that questions whether college is affordable. With Save Your Seat, we are striving to be fully transparent with families about the numbers. When the numbers are spelled out clearly, they’re often surprised that the education they were hoping for–one that will empower their student for a lifetime of career success–is within reach.”
Cornell is using its historical data to give families a clear estimate of what it will cost to attend a four-year, private college and empower them to make a decision that is right for their family. Families are also able to use the Net Price Calculator on any college website to input their actual household data.
“One hundred percent of full-time students who attend Cornell College receive financial aid from Cornell, starting at a $33,000 per year guaranteed National Academic Scholarship for U.S. residents,” says Davenport. “Additional scholarships, awards, and grants from Cornell are also possible based on a student’s unique situation. In addition, most U.S. residents are also eligible for federal student aid when they file the FAFSA, and students who live in Iowa may qualify for an additional Iowa Tuition Grant. It all adds up to make college affordable.”
This is only the latest initiative in Cornell’s effort to increase transparency around the cost of college, in recent years the college has guaranteed that all full-time U.S. citizens will get minimum scholarships through the Iowa Promise Scholarship, Freeway Scholarship, and National Academic Scholarship, and instituted a Tuition Zero program for all Iowa Tuition Grant eligible students. If you weren’t a part of the Save Your Seat mailing, contact [email protected] to request a personalized aid estimate.