Merit awards, merit awards, we all scream for merit awards
Sarah, one of my seniors, received the online notification that she was admitted to her top choice college, and soon shed tears of disappointment. She didn't receive a lofty merit scholarship. She was awarded a grant, but it wasn't as substantial as those from other schools, and she took the perceived slight personally. Jack, another one of my students just texted me, "CC just gave me $10k in merit scholarship, but I didn't get any from Stanford. I'm guessing a mistake. Can you call them?" I spent several wasted minutes yelling to my husband about "kids these days" before I took responsibility as his (Jack's) counselor. I should have better educated him about expectations throughout the process.
Merit awards, grants, and scholarships have become not only expected, but demanded. Hype within schools and neighborhoods has incited a sense of competition and introduced the practice of bartering with financial aid offices by appealing financial aid awards. In reaction, some elite colleges that have entirely prohibited the "appeals process." One of my parents encountered such a roadblock, to which she responded, "that's total bull****!" I do see the big picture issue as it's always been and continues to accelerate: access is narrowing, and tuition rises at a rate higher than inflation. At the same time, though, I'm frustrated that some families feel entitled to grants, missing the reality that elite, private higher education is a privilege, and acceptance makes for a moment of pride and triumph that a student should not overlook. Endemic presumptions about scholarships, I guess, are no major surprise as private institutions compete with one another to yield revenue-supplying "full pay" families. A few weeks ago, the Hechinger Report stated "Colleges and universities last year gave about $8.3 billion in so-called merit aid to students whose family incomes were too high for them to qualify for government-issued Pell Grants...The result is that, since 1995, the proportion of students receiving merit aid has overtaken the proportion that gets need-based aid, nearly doubling..." If you're interested in a more scintillating, if not frightening explanation about what Richard Kahlenberg calls "affirmative action for the rich," check out this NPR Planet Money piece.
I often hear, "How am I supposed to afford $50k a year? I can't just take out loans!" Indeed, the way Estimated Family Contributions are calculated can leave families with a seemingly impossible cost. I see this as part of that big decision, though: weighing the onus of taking out more loans for a private school versus opting for a more affordable institution. I aim to yield diverse financial outcomes, prescribing spring of senior year for comparing cost of attendance. Families and their students should discuss if it's worth the investment of loans (an optimal opportunity to welcome your kid into adulthood) to attend a high-tuition school, or if public university options are more suitable. For some it may be worth the debt (I took that route); for some, maybe not. Entirely individualized decision. Lisa D. Meyer, Dean for Enrollment and Communications at Lewis & Clarke College shares, "Many families come to me saying 'I don't want my student to have to take out any loans.' In return, I offer, 'I don't want your student to take an unreasonable loan.' There's something to be said for students knowing they paid for part of their education. Our students graduate, on average, with $23K in loan and we have a 2% default rate. For a student to graduate with a loan that's less than most cars...this isn't overwhelming and it gives the student a sense of ownership." Dan Reilly, Senior Associate Director of Admission at University of Portland adds, "In fact, studies show that students persist longer if they are working and invested in their own education.” The fact that every single one of my families expressed disappointment for lack of grants this year made me realize that I am the common denominator here. More than ever, it's up to us - educators of applicants and their parents - to change expectations. Insular pockets of academic communities foster hype, competition, and rumors about what should be expected for high-achieving students. Leaders such as college counselors and traveling admission officers must inform families at an early stage that aiming for a high-caliber private college will mean planning to meet full tuition.
To do my part, this year I plan to provide my families with more facts, figures, example awards, and statistics. I will rely on my colleagues in the trenches, quoting friends like Todd Hicks from Santa Clara University. He reminds me, "Merit awards at SCU go to the top 15% of our applicant pool. Moreover, merit nominations are based on a set of holistic criteria (GPA, rigor, test scores, leadership & activities, connection to mission); being strong in just one or two areas will not equal a merit award." I wish my students celebrated their admission more. Grants and merit awards should be considered a lovely bonus. Thinking beyond brand-name schools and prime geographic regions may increase one's chances of receiving them. Loans, however, are a sobering reality for the vast majority of college-goers. Really, just to be admitted to a selective college should be regarded as the crowning victory for hard-working teenagers. If you live in PDX, I recommend an ice cream from Salt n' Straw for every admit letter.