Finally! Top Universities Consider Making College More Affordable

Since Harvard announced its plan to offer more grants and scholarships to students from middle-income families, other universities are jumping on the bandwagon.

This is great news!  I’ve felt for a long time that all it would take is one or two universities offering more aid to trigger a shift in the way top private universities address the financial needs of struggling middle-class families.

Of course, Harvard is sitting on a fat endowment of $30 billion, so it’s in the best position to offer assistance to more students.  Still, other universities with less-than-bursting coffers–in an effort to stay competitive–are considering similar moves.

This could be the beginning of a whole new era–or not. The key?  Universities have to have the space and the inclination to accept more middle-class students. 

Making announcements about making college affordable is one thing–making room for middle-class students is another.  It may remain as difficult as ever for students to get into the Ivies and near-Ivies, even if the financial aid packages offered are more generous. 

We’ll see how this shakes out in the next round of admissions.  Watch for more announcements in early 2008 from universities wanting to be seen as generous and understanding of the difficulties middle-class families face when it comes to paying for college. 

But one thing is certain:  students who shine in the application process will have a better shot at getting into ANY college they choose, and in a world of sameness (high GPA, sterling SAT scores, tons of AP classes, long list of extracurriculars) it will be the truly unusual students who stand apart from the crowd and get the most attention from those bleary-eyed admissions folks.

You don’t want to be just another brick in the wall.  You’ve got to shine–in new ways–to stand out in a sea of applicants. 

My book, The World Is Your Campus, will show students how to shine by intentionally stepping off the traditional path.

Stay tuned and get ready to get creative, not crazed.  Innovation is the name of this game.  Ready to play?

Tagged as: college admissions, college tuition, financial aid, grants, Harvard University, Ivy League, scholarships, student debt, student loans, The World Is Your Campus