Yesterday, Harvard announced that they have officially sweetened their financial aid package for middle and upper-class students. As I mentioned this time last year, they've been considering the program in response to the criticism that elite colleges have become unaffordable for typical American students.
Undergraduates whose families make under $180,000 would be asked to pay 10% or less of their total annual incomes for a Harvard education. For example, a family making $100,000 per year would only be expected to pay around $10,000 per year-- down from their current $19,000 policy-- and WAY down from their standard tuition rate of $34,000 per year.
Harvard is setting a wonderful standard and should be commended. Family income level should not be such a determining factor for attending college in the US. At my own undergraduate school, it cost approximately $20,000 per year in tuition when I enrolled years ago. Their tuition rate for this year has made it up to $34,900 per year.
I am so happy that Harvard has decided to set the example on this one. I hope that it won't be long that the other top universities, including the Ivies, will follow suit.
For more information, check out Google News.
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