Unstack the Odds: Help All Kids Access College—and Graduate!
by
Joe Rottenborn
by
Joe Rottenborn
Executive Director, Mahoning Valley College Access Program (MVCAP)
11. Cost, Part 1
When it comes to cost, it’s helpful to consider the view of Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus at The George Washington University, who described higher education pricing as follows: “Colleges and universities have been using the sales model for years: it is called ‘scholarships’ and other forms of financial aid. And most admissions officers can tell you their school's ‘discount rate,’ a term of art that comes from the merchandising sector. Statements like, ‘Our tuition is $42,000 a year but 48 percent of our students receive aid,’ tells us that 52 percent pay full price and all the others get a markdown.” (Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, “Price Does Not Equal Cost,” The New York Times, February 22, 2011.) http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/02/21/cutting-tuition-a-first-step/reducing-college-tuition-a-patch-on-a-leaky-roof
For the underrepresented students with odds stacked against their access to college and reduced chances of success, these financial discounts are often irrelevant, however, since their high school grade-point average, class-rank, and score on the ACT or SAT will often not qualify them to receive much—if any--merit aid (i.e., scholarships.) Therefore, securing need-based aid is critical. Indeed, the Roadmap (cited earlier) offered this recommendation in regard to reducing the cost of college for Latinos: “Guarantee need-based aid for qualified students.” [emphasis in original] As it explained, “Finding and receiving sufficient financial aid to pay for college are complex and cumbersome processes. Providing potential and current students with a guarantee of their eligibility for financial support has been effective for enrolling and retaining low-income students at several institutions and has the potential to be effective on a larger scale.” (Roadmap for Ensuring America’s Future By Increasing Latino College Completion, Excelencia in Education, March 2011, p. 15.) http://www.edexcelencia.org/initiatives/EAF/Roadmap
Also from the Roadmap regarding cost of college was its recommendation to “Make college accessible and affordable for students of all economic backgrounds.” [emphasis in original] “Policy efforts” offered included the following:
“Market state scholarship programs more intentionally targeted at students from economically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities to increase their application of federal and private financial aid resources to pay for college.
Create financial incentives for low-income students to remain continuously enrolled in higher education until degree attainment. This could include loan forgiveness, textbook waivers, or tuition discounts to students who remain continuously enrolled. . . .
Expand need-based funding from the state for low-income students. [and]
Charge leaders of public higher education institutions to develop a coordinated action plan to increase capacity, access, and degree attainment . . . .” (Ibid., p. 17.) http://www.edexcelencia.org/initiatives/EAF/Roadmap
For the underrepresented students with odds stacked against their access to college and reduced chances of success, these financial discounts are often irrelevant, however, since their high school grade-point average, class-rank, and score on the ACT or SAT will often not qualify them to receive much—if any--merit aid (i.e., scholarships.) Therefore, securing need-based aid is critical. Indeed, the Roadmap (cited earlier) offered this recommendation in regard to reducing the cost of college for Latinos: “Guarantee need-based aid for qualified students.” [emphasis in original] As it explained, “Finding and receiving sufficient financial aid to pay for college are complex and cumbersome processes. Providing potential and current students with a guarantee of their eligibility for financial support has been effective for enrolling and retaining low-income students at several institutions and has the potential to be effective on a larger scale.” (Roadmap for Ensuring America’s Future By Increasing Latino College Completion, Excelencia in Education, March 2011, p. 15.) http://www.edexcelencia.org/initiatives/EAF/Roadmap
Also from the Roadmap regarding cost of college was its recommendation to “Make college accessible and affordable for students of all economic backgrounds.” [emphasis in original] “Policy efforts” offered included the following:
“Market state scholarship programs more intentionally targeted at students from economically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities to increase their application of federal and private financial aid resources to pay for college.
Create financial incentives for low-income students to remain continuously enrolled in higher education until degree attainment. This could include loan forgiveness, textbook waivers, or tuition discounts to students who remain continuously enrolled. . . .
Expand need-based funding from the state for low-income students. [and]
Charge leaders of public higher education institutions to develop a coordinated action plan to increase capacity, access, and degree attainment . . . .” (Ibid., p. 17.) http://www.edexcelencia.org/initiatives/EAF/Roadmap
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