Parents of Connecticut Students: Top Connecticut Colleges are Reducing Cost of Attendance

Good news Connecticut parents….Yaleaspiration a reality," said Yale University President
University has cut attendance costs in half forRichard C. Levin.
thousands of families needing financial aid. If you andThese cost of attendance reductions come at a time
your child have ever discussed attending an premierewhen according to the College Board, the average
Connecticut college or a Ivy League University, butannual cost of attending a private four-year U.S.
you worried or even slightly discouraged your childcollege rose 3.9 percent for the current year, the
from applying because of the cost, then now is thebiggest inflation-adjusted increase since 2001. The
perfect time to push your child to reach for the starscost of rising Connecticut college attendance costs
and take advantage of this great opportunity.can really be felt throughout Connecticut by parents
The best part about the 50 percent reduction inof multiple child households.
costs in this top notch Connecticut College is that it isCurrently about 2,300 students which is 43 percent
offered to families with annual incomes underof Yale's undergraduates, get assistance from the
$120,000. While $120,000 is considerably more thanschool. With the cost reduction Yale expects the
the average annual income of the nation the financialfigure to increase to almost half of its student body
aid is based on need which is demonstrated using aover the next year.
calculation. However, it gets even better becauseConnecticut colleges like Yale have not only reduced
parents earning less than $60,000 won't need to payattendance costs for the neediest students but have
at all. Yale will also eliminate the first $200,000 ofadopted a cost of attendance reduction almost all
family assets from its assessment of need.the way across the board. For example, Yale
Connecticut colleges such as Yale and universitiesstudents from households with yearly incomes of
nationwide such as Harvard, Duke and many more$180,000 and $200,000 in assets, costs will decline to
high level Connecticut colleges are reducing costs for$23,050 from $38,150 according to their press
families earning sometimes as much as $180,000. Therelease. As well as those from families earning
cause for this cost of attendance reduction is to$90,000 will have expenses lowered to $2,950 from
make the high level colleges more accessible and$12,550.
affordable and ultimately to make paying for collegeThe highlight of the new aid plan is that those families
a non-factor when prospective students choosewith incomes of $60,000 will not be required to make
between high level schools like Yale, Harvard orany financial contributions! Prior to this change, those
Princeton. These universities are committing to fullyfamilies had paid $4,450. Cost of attendance
funding the neediest students before extendingreduction is an area that Yale has been very
financial aid pledges up the income scale.progressive as three years ago Yale waived family
"Yale should be a college of choice for the very bestcontributions from households making less than
and brightest students from across America and$45,000.
around the world, regardless of financialHowever, the only thing with the new changes is
circumstances. We want all of our students to makethat students will be expected to contribute $2,500,
the most of Yale - academically and beyond -an amount that can be covered by working on
without worrying about excessive work hours orcampus seven hours a week. It is important to note
debt. Our new financial aid package makes thisthat even this has been reduced from $4,400.