Harvard to pay tuition for low-income students

[ShopnMom]

Harvard University announced over the weekend that

from now on undergraduate students from low-income

families will pay no tuition. In making the

announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H.

Summers said, "When only 10 percent of the

students in Elite higher education come from

families in lower half of the income distribution,

we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough

in bringing elite higher education to the lower

half of the income distribution."

 

If you know of a family earning less than $40,000

a year with an honor student graduating from high

school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the

tuition. The prestigious university recently

announced that from now on undergraduate students

from low-income families can go to Harvard for

free...no tuition and no student loans!

 

To find out more about Harvard offering free

tuition for families making less than $40,000 a

year visit Harvard's financial aid website at:

 

http://fao.fas.harvard.edu/

or

call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

[kranky]

I read the statement on Harvard's site and it certainly does not say students go for free or that they won't need to take loans. It says there is no expected contribution from parents.

 

Link.

[Karmarose]

Now if only their application was easier and you could be dumb.....

[ShopnMom]

Taken from the Finacial Aid Fact Sheet:

 

Who receives financial aid at Harvard?

 

Two-thirds of all undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance, including outside awards.

 

Half receive need-based Harvard Scholarship aid, totaling over $81 million.

 

One fifth of the families receiving need-based scholarship assistance from Harvard have incomes above $130,000.

 

Based on our new aid policy initiated in 2004, parents with total incomes below $40,000 are expected to pay nothing , and those with incomes between $40,000-$60,000 have reduced contributions.

 

Foreign students have the same access to financial aid funding as U.S. citizens, including the new policy outlined above.

 

35% take out student loans and 55% work on campus during the academic year, with several hundred other students working off-campus or with Harvard Student Agencies.

 

Median educational debt for members of the graduating Class of 2005 was $6,400.

[Spa Mom]

Wow if this is true when my daughter becomes of age. I will get a divorce, just to send her there.

 

I can see a BUNCH of loop holes to this!!!

 

Interesting

Thanks

[treasure60]

That is great that they are doing this. My daughter has already been accepted to another college...wish she wanted to go to Harvard. She is a high honor student. I hope that their are plenty of eligible students who take them up on this offer.

[Rockfordmom]

Now if only their application was easier and you could be dumb.....

I'm with you:sidesplit

[biomajor]

OK, I need to divorce my husband before my daughter's a senior in HS!! LOL My daughter isn't dumb and would love to go to Harvard, but is willing to go to Vanderbilt.

[inluvstill]

OK, I need to divorce my husband before my daughter's a senior in HS!! LOL My daughter isn't dumb and would love to go to Harvard, but is willing to go to Vanderbilt.

LOL! I was thinking the same thing until I saw this:

 

• In the case of divorced or separated parents, usually a separate EFC will be assessed for each parent.

 

That stinks!! I guess it's time to look for another loop hole!! LOL!!

[biomajor]

LOL! I was thinking the same thing until I saw this:

 

• In the case of divorced or separated parents, usually a separate EFC will be assessed for each parent.

 

That stinks!! I guess it's time to look for another loop hole!! LOL!!

 

Damn! Oh well--I wonder how the widow thing would work?

[BCBGirl]

Wow..

[Kayakmom]

I wish they had this when I was in high school. Oh well. Now I don't even want to think about what this education is costing me and I'm certainly not attending Harvard. I live about 15 minutes from Yale and the thought has crossed my mind many, many times but then I meet the ivy league students and I'm kind of glad I don't go there, lol. It's just not my speed. I'm convinced that you have to be absolutely bizarre to fit in at a place like that.

[AndreaInNC]

That's great news! Now if I can just get my DD to get on the honor roll ...

[bayhaysay]

Damn! Oh well--I wonder how the widow thing would work?

I think it would work quite well.

[inluvstill]

Damn! Oh well--I wonder how the widow thing would work?

HMMMM!! Me too!!

[Corporate Gal]

I live about 15 minutes from Yale and the thought has crossed my mind many, many times but then I meet the ivy league students and I'm kind of glad I don't go there, lol. It's just not my speed. I'm convinced that you have to be absolutely bizarre to fit in at a place like that.

I went to an almost Ivy and I must say there is a bit of odd ballness in those environments. I fit in their a lot better than high school. . .

[Jenh1973]

What a great deal... but of course if you only make $40,000 a year that less than the yearly tuition bill. It's currently $42,000 year for full time undergrad at Harvard.

[Synergy]

Really wish all the Ivies would do this (and back-date it so I don't have to pay back all these damn loans). It'd help diversify the schools a bit; they tend to reflect a majority of wealthy, privileged students). I loved my school (an Ivy, but not Harvard), so I wouldn't say it was an oddball environment, but obviously the campus is going to be a bit more intense.

 

Hope this program helps some people out.

[treasure60]

That's great news! Now if I can just get my DD to get on the honor roll ...

 

My DD is on the high honor roll. But now she doesn't know if she wants to go to a college so close to home....grrr! She thinks she can just pick any college and they will accept her.....lol Time will tell where she goes.

[conj]

keep in mind, tuition is not the only cost associated with college... room, board, fees, books.... free tuition is wonderful, but it is not a free ride.