<p>I can extrapolate various things from the fact that only 35% of students at Colgate receive financial aid. However, I would like to hear first from the Colgate contingent on CC what you think this indicates, if anything at all.</p>
<p>Thanks, I'm really interested to hear what you think about this as I was surprised by this incredibly low number.</p>
<p>I'm not Colgate contingent, but it means that 65% of the students do not need aid and have EFC's that cover the price of admission plus room and board. This all means that, as a whole, the Colgate student body is well-off financially.</p>
<p>According to the Colgate website it was 39.% for this year's freshman class. A couple of other factors to consider: Colgate awards athletic scholarships as well; some students who would otherwise be receiving need-based financial aid receive an athletic scholarship. Colgate does state that it is not 100% need-blind in admissions.</p>
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This all means that, as a whole, the Colgate student body is well-off financially.
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<p>Certainly. I wonder if there is any other school that has as low of a percentage of students receiving financial aid?</p>
<p>The number of students getting FA tells you little; it's easy to keep that number high by accepting a fair number of students who get self-help only (loans and work study). A fairer measure is the number of students getting grant money. There Colgate is low, but above many peers including Bowdoin, Trinity, and Tufts.</p>
<p>If you compare Colgate to schools w. similar policies (non need-blind, but meets 100% need), they come out in the bottom third on most measures, but they're in the ballpark with their peers. Additionally Colgate, unlike most of its peers, also allocates some of their FA budget to Alumni Memorial Scholarships, which they don't count as merit scholarships, but are merit-based $ on some level. This may result in a slightly lower % of students on outright grant aid.</p>
<p>It is interesting that if you look at the data on princeton review online, the % of undergraduates receiving need-based financial aid at both Colgate and Tufts is 38%. </p>
<p>(by the way lola, this is the male half of jrpar posting. I'm a Tufts graduate).</p>
<p>Jrpar: Hello, Jumbo! </p>
<p>Tufts' finaid side says they gave more than 40% of the 2010 class finaid; of which 84% were grants (i.e. not self-help).</p>
<p>Either way, all these numbers seem so low—it's pretty surprising to me, personally. How do they compare to schools that are 100% need-blind?</p>
<p>Colgate's website says that "more than half" of the class receives aid - but that includes students receiving only outside aid. </p>
<p>Williams is 100% need blind - their website said that 44% of students last year received financial aid. </p>
<p>Not sure all these % comparisons are apples to apples.</p>
<p>I think it's almost always apples to oranges when you look at a single figure in isolation when it comes to FA, becasue institutional priorities differ so widely. Some schools spread their FA budget over more students; others concentrate it on fewer, more needy students; average grant packages differ widely, as do the amounts of expected self-help. Many schools in this tier use some of their money for various types of grant within need, and so on. The median income at some schools that seem really generous is sky-high going in to the process, etc. </p>
<p>It's not even necessarily a condemnation if a school allocates a bit less to FA than one of its peers; maybe they're spending more on attracting top faculty, state-of-the-art research labs, or some other priority.</p>
<p>Colgate's recent "Campaign for Colgate/Passion for the Climb" initiative to raise 400 million dollars has placed financial aid resources as a priority. As a student, I know the school wants to become 100% need blind, and is working hard to get to that point. I believe that this is the only thing separating Colgate from schools like Williams and Amherst.</p>
<p>However, in light of that, I want to respond to some of what was said previously...yes, there are athletic scholarship, however most of that is given in the form of "financial aid". Witihin that 35%, it would be interesting to see how many students have multiple siblings in other expensive colleges at the same time. Also, as far as the Alumni Scholars Program goes...that is just a $5000 research grant given to the top students every year and has no bearing on whether or not a student recieves financial aid.</p>
<p>All I know is that tuition/room and board next year is going to be close to 50k...that made for a pleasant phone call from my parents!</p>
<p>"Witihin that 35%, it would be interesting to see how many students have multiple siblings in other expensive colleges at the same time"</p>
<p>The statistic that’s of more interest is mean and medium incomes of parents. Amherst college, for example, has made great strides attracting Pell grant students, but at the expense of the middle class. There are few enrolled. </p>
<p>Racial diversity is a goal of all colleges, as it should be. What fails to be addressed by many college administrators is economic diversity. As tuitions continue to increase exponentially faster than incomes, those in middle income brackets are facing the real possibly of no longer able to consider many top colleges as a viable option. Some colleges are enrolling a majority of students at the extremes with very few representing the middle.</p>
<p>Consider: College A and B both have 40 % of its students receiving aid; however, college A has a much higher median income than college B. The experiences at college A will be much different than college B. Not overtly, perhaps, but when a significant portion of students are from substantial wealth, it manifests itself stealthily. Instead of vacationing in Colorado or Vermont over winter break, the student might vacation in France. It matters not if the students are discerning enough not to flaunt their wealth. It rarely goes unnoticed and, acknowledged or not, contributes to perceptions (positively and negatively) of those in lower financial stratum</p>
<p>No college is in practice need-blind. It’s not an accident that yr. after yr. Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin, etc. enroll within one percentage point of the same number of students paying sticker, so to speak.</p>
<p>I agree with most of what Skiitifucan had to say. I think the thing that impresses me about Colgate -and I have said this time and time again - is how much people do not show their wealth in obnoxious ways. Yes, kid wear nice clothes and drive expensive cars - some might even summer in the south of France or elsewhere; that isn't the point, people aren't compelled to share that information because so few are caught up on blatant status symbols like that.</p>
<p>That said, however, does not mea that there aren't socioeconomic divide issues at a school like Colgate, Bowdoin or Middlebury. The availabilty of higher ed to the middle class is certainly an issue and one that needs to be addressed; however, I am not sure it will until schools like Colgate fulfill their other institutional priorities [such as racial diversity].</p>
<p>Colgate is definitely not perfect, and sometimes the issues are noticeable...however, what is important is that Colgate is a competitive enough school that it isn't simply the dumping ground for rich kids that some people assume it to be. It is defined by an intellectual and motivated student body that is interested and involved.</p>
<p>"school that it isn't simply the dumping ground for rich kids that some people assume it to be. It is defined by an intellectual and motivated student body that is interested and involved."</p>
<p>I was speaking hypotheticaly to encourage thought and had no one college in mind</p>
<p>I didnt intend to imply Colgate was a dumping ground. It certainly isn't. Colgate is a fabulouos college with, as you said, a motivated, involved student body. Sorry for the confusion.;)</p>
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Yes, kid wear nice clothes and drive expensive cars - some might even summer in the south of France.
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<p>In SoCal, wearning nice (designer) clothers and driving expensive cars is the epitomy of blatant status symbols. :D</p>
<p>I understand your point bluebayou, but the lifestyle of most Colgate students is a far cry from anything that like SoCal. Designer clothers for the most part means Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Tods, etc. with the occasional splash of some European designers. Colgate students tend to dress more classic, not flashy designers that are clad with labels, etc. And people drive cars simply because that's what their parents gave them, not as a status symbol.</p>
<p>And, Skiitifucan, I totally understand what you meant. My comment about a dumping ground for rich kids was not in response to what you said - a lot of times though, people look at how many kids at Colgate went to private schools and just assume that they came here bc it was easeir to get into from a private school [you know the drill]. I get frustrated when I hear that - but I wasn't accusing you of saying it!</p>
<p>Quote:
If you compare Colgate to schools w. similar policies (non need-blind, but meets 100% need), they come out in the bottom third on most measures, but they're in the ballpark with their peers.</p>
<p>How do you know that Colgate is ""non need-blind"? What others are in this category. I don't think that this is advertised by most schools.</p>
<p>Colgate, to its credit, is upfront about their admissions not being need-blind.</p>
<p>There are perhaps a couple dozen colleges in the U. S. that are fully need blind and also meet 100% of need. This list is reasonably accurate, but some of these schools are need-blind in admissions, but do not meet 100% of their students' full financial need.</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind%5B/url%5D">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Need-blind</a></p>
<p>Hmm... I got into Colgate and they did meet 100% of my financial needs. (and i needed A LOT of financial help)</p>
<p>That means if you get financial aid, you'll get practically everything you need.</p>
<p>We are definitely middle class. D was not a good fit for Colgate so she is going elsewhere, but they made the best fin. aid offer by far. Cost-wise, they were intriguing.</p>
<p>FWIW</p>