Stephanie Snyder
Staff Writer
This past summer, North Central College students received an email from President Troy Hammond announcing an increase in tuition and summarizing how the students’ money will be used.
With tuition prices increasing, some students think it would be logical for an increase in their scholarship money to “balance” things out. This year, the College reported a record number of admissions, which has some students questioning why the increase in tuition is necessary.
Marty Rossman, the director of financial aid, has helped to clear up the confusion and answer some questions regarding financial aid and the increasing tuition prices.
“Scholarships are not adjusted specifically due to a tuition increase. Merit scholarships (presidential, dean, honor, transfer academic, etc.) will always stay at the same levels as awarded to the student when they entered North Central,” Rossman said.
Regardless of a tuition increase, scholarships do not increase at the same rate. Rossman also provided an example to clear any confusion on the topic.
“If a student received a $14,000 Honor Scholarship, the student would receive the $14,000 award for four total years (12 terms – $56,000),” he said. “This money was based on a student’s academic success in high school and will not be lowered if they don’t meet our academic expectations when they get here, but will also not be increased if they do well.
“The Merit Scholarships do not increase from one year to the next. The only exception to that would be the talent based scholarships such as music, theatre, etc. Depending on a student’s level of participation, there are occasionally increases to these awards, but the increase is not based on the increase in tuition,” Rossman said.
One question still seems to be brewing amongst students. Was the tuition increase necessary? According to junior Jacob Camiliere, “the increase was necessary because the extra money is going towards new academic buildings, possible future residence halls due to higher enrollment, and we have also hired about eight more faculty members to campus.”
North Central is growing. Rather than asking about scholarship increases and questioning tuition costs, students should be asking what new innovations will be implemented on campus for their benefit.
