Students entering Colby-Sawyer College in fall 2015 will have the option to enroll in a program that lets them know exactly what they will pay for the next four years not only for tuition, but also for room and board. It also guarantees that if a student satisfies the requirements of the Colby-Sawyer Price and Graduation Promise Program, that student will graduate in four years.
While colleges have offered fixed-tuition plans for more than a decade, few institutions also freeze room and board fees, and Colby-Sawyer is believed to be the first to combine the price promise with a graduation guarantee. If a student meets the program’s requirements but does not graduate by May of their fourth year at Colby-Sawyer, he or she may take the additional required coursework at Colby-Sawyer to complete the Baccalaureate Degree at no additional tuition cost.
“The graduation and fixed tuition promise is an exciting and innovative approach to managing the cost of higher education and will benefit our students and their families,” said President Thomas C. Galligan Jr. “Colby-Sawyer is proud to be in the forefront with this program. It arises from a commitment to doing what is best for our students and helping them to affordably make the world a better place through the education our wonderful college provides.”
The program includes a student commitment to live on campus (or study away at a college-approved program) during participation in the program. “Living on campus reaffirms the ideals and benefits of attending a small, residential and liberal-arts based college,” said President Galligan. “Traditionally, we are a residential college, and we know our students’ experiences and successes are enhanced by being present and engaged on campus.”
The Colby-Sawyer Price and Graduation Promise program will also be available to current first- and second-year students who opt into the program, are currently on track to graduate in their major within four years, who live on campus, and who meet all other requirements. For a current first-year student, the guarantee is for three years. For a current second-year student, the guarantee is for two years.
In an additional effort to curtail the price of a college education, Colby-Sawyer strives to keep its tuition adjustments below the rate of inflation. While the College Board reports that the average 2014-2015 tuition increase at private institutions was 3.7 percent, Colby-Sawyer’s was 1.9 percent. For the 2015-2016 academic year, Colby-Sawyer will institute a 1.5 percent tuition increase of $570.
The Price Guarantee
The optional program for first-time, full-time residential students will lock in tuition and the standard room and board rate for four consecutive academic years. Merit scholarships awarded by the college at the time of first matriculation will also remain the same throughout the four years, as long as the student continuously fulfills the minimum requirements for those scholarships; need-based grants and loans will be adjusted annually according to the student’s and family’s documented need based upon timely submission of the FAFSA.
“This pricing and graduation program offers a huge advantage for families because they have the opportunity to plan for their financial future,” said Vice President of Enrollment Management David Placey. “Most colleges increase tuition, room and board on an annual basis, and families never know what that increase will be. That unpredictability can be difficult, and Colby-Sawyer has eliminated that variable for students who stay on target with their studies.”
The Four-Year Graduation Guarantee
If a student meets the program’s requirements for four consecutive academic years and does not graduate by May of their fourth year at Colby-Sawyer, he or she may take the additional required coursework at Colby-Sawyer to complete the Baccalaureate Degree at no additional tuition cost.
The Colby-Sawyer Price and Graduation Promise Program is available to transfer students for up to three years if transferring with 32 credits that fulfill Colby-Sawyer requirements. If transferring with 64 credits that fulfill Colby-Sawyer requirements, including those of the selected major, the guarantee is for two years. Transfer students must meet all other requirements of the program.
The Colby-Sawyer Price and Graduation Promise Program does not apply to students enrolled in the college’s online bachelor’s degree programs.
The Requirements
To be eligible for Colby-Sawyer’s four-year price guarantee and four-year graduation guarantee, a student must:
Sign up for the Colby-Sawyer Price and Graduation Promise Program upon admission to the college and payment of the deposit for first matriculation.
Develop with his or her academic adviser a four-year curricular plan; meet with his or her academic adviser each semester to review and update the plan; and follow recommendations from the adviser in order to stay on track with graduation requirements.
Choose an initial major. The student may change majors or add/drop a minor, etc. at any time, but the guarantee will only apply if it is still possible for the student to complete all requirements in four consecutive academic years, with a normal full-time credit hour load (e.g., 12–16 credits per semester). If a student wishes to continue participation in the agreement and take more than 18 credit hours in a semester, the “extra credit” fees for that academic year will apply
Maintain continuous full-time enrollment at Colby-Sawyer College (or in a college-approved affiliated study-away program) for eight consecutive fall-spring semesters.
Enroll in and successfully complete an average of 16 credit hours each semester in courses appropriate to the completion of the student’s baccalaureate degree program.
Maintain a semester and cumulative GPA of 2.0 and meet all progression requirements in the major; this means that specific courses may need to be completed at a higher standard. Students may make up any credits needed to maintain the 32-per-year average during the next summer with a Colby-Sawyer class. If Colby-Sawyer does not offer that course in the summer, the Registrar and appropriate department chair shall approve a course at another institution. In both of these situations, students are responsible for the stated current course fees.
Live in, and remain eligible to live in, Colby-Sawyer College housing for eight consecutive fall-spring semesters (or fewer if student has completed all requirements for graduation) or reside away during a Colby-Sawyer approved study-away program.
Register on time during the registration period each semester and meet at least once per semester with his or her adviser to assess the student’s progress and update the four-year curricular plan.