Colleges Shift Admissions Policies

Two prominent liberal arts colleges are reshaping their admissions policies in drastic yet opposite ways -- one despite the economy, and one because of it.

Bucking trends, Hamilton College in upstate New York announced today that it will begin to admit students without taking into account their financial need. The New York Times reports that seed contributions from six trustees, amounting to $3 million, will enable the school to adopt a need-blind policy. Tuition at Hamilton averages to $50,000 a year.

Meanwhile, Williams College, one of the top-ranked liberal arts schools in the country, decided last month to end its need-blind admissions program for international students. In a letter to the student body, Interim President Bill Wagner wrote that because of the school's shrunken endowment, the college could either admit fewer international students or rescind need-blind admissions.

Williams similarly ended its no-loan student aid policy last month, as did Dartmouth.

Comments

[Cultiver83]

09:27 AM on 03/10/2010

As a proud alumna of Hamilton ('06), I could not be happier with this development. The Trustees were very deliberate in making the decision to go need-blind, waiting until the College's financial situation could be evaluated in light of the economic crisis and its effect on the endowment. The administration kept the alumni well-informed throughout the process of choosing to go need-blind, and I commend the Trustees for making the decision responsibly. It would have been disappointing to go need-blind and then have to reverse the decision a few years down the line due to lack of resources.

While Hamilton and many of its peer institutions need to do a better job of recruiting among students from underprivileged backgrounds and ensuring that these students have all the necessary support, going need-blind is definitely a step in the right direction.

Go Hamilton! Carissima!

[moonlightfairie]

07:20 PM on 03/09/2010

this is outrageous, the american dream is very far from reality for some young people.

[Balloon-Boy]

09:55 PM on 03/08/2010

More uneducated population means a larger voting base for republicans. Why would they fund and support departments/programs like the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid? For middle class, education opens the door for better life. The department of education guarantees student loans without which hundreds of thousands of students can't even step inside a college these days.

[chedet]

04:47 PM on 03/08/2010

that's funny... wouldn't you make more money admitting international students? I know at some schools they pay thrice the normal fees...

[jackstpaul]

05:18 PM on 03/08/2010

You'd make more if you admited them and charged them way more than other students, which Williams wasn't/won't be doing.

[LegalCodex]

09:51 AM on 03/09/2010

Some of these schools don't bother to discriminate against international students, but you are right with regards to most schools.

[MNmommy]

04:07 PM on 03/08/2010

This is really unfortunate, many of the LACs are leaning away from their previously generous needs-blind admissions and generous aid to working folks.

[palindrom]

06:51 PM on 03/08/2010

Yes, it's a shame, but the schools are really strapped. Especially those that had become dependent on endowment income, which has declined drastically. Believe it or not, the per-pupil operating expenses of a school like Williams are usually quite a bit more than the tuition.

[getcaption]

11:03 AM on 03/10/2010

"Believe it or not, the per-pupil operating expenses of a school like Williams are usually quite a bit more than the tuition."

How so? What are the student expenses that cost so much?

[avocats]

12:01 AM on 03/09/2010

"generous aid to working folks"-- who are these "working" folks? Because I have worked my whole life and still had to pay full freight for my kids' education.

[LegalCodex]

09:55 AM on 03/09/2010

Those that have children who are brilliant yet are making less than $60k-$120k per year. Harvard gives children from families making under $120k per year free tuition, Stanford does it for families who make under $100k, Yale does similar, and several of the top private LACs have always made the effort to provide bright young men and women with full-tuition scholarships based on need.

[bobbiisadukefan]

03:36 PM on 03/08/2010

rgilley, I have always wondered the same thing. If money should be given to any area for economic progress, it should be the educational system.

[Conservative in NJ]

10:34 PM on 03/08/2010

so it can be wasted on useless majors that prepare students for the unemployment line.

[laxfamily]

08:20 AM on 03/09/2010

Your comment reminds me of the line from Caddy Shack. "Well, we need ditch diggers too!". Way to support the ability for people to move up in life!

[Kalie]

11:11 AM on 03/09/2010

Yes, useless majors like Education, Computer Science, Engineering, Science, Math, Accounting, and I could go on. In case you havent gone to college, it also teaches you that you dont have to be so narrow minded, it teaches you how to think in a broad manner, taking into consideration all viewpoints before you make a decision. Ever make an Educated decision?

[rgilley]

02:55 PM on 03/08/2010

How much does this society suffer when an individual with a "beautiful mind" is unable to enter college and contribute to society his God given best?
We can support wars on every continent on the planet but not higher education? What does that say about us as a society?
Rome anyone?

[Daws]

03:57 PM on 03/08/2010

Well said rgilley. It's a shame where our government's priorities are at.

[ScarlettMocha]

06:21 PM on 03/08/2010

Very well said!