Around 50 students gathered in Tisch Commons Monday night to take part in the University’s annual Tuition Forum, which featured panel presentations and an open forum in which students could ask high-ranking University officials’ questions.

Wrighton took the occasion to stress the importance of continually working toward the betterment of the University.

“We are striving to improve, and we want to do things that respond to student interests and faculty interest,” he said. “We want to have higher impact [and] we want to build the stature of Washington University.”

Academically, Wrighton said that he considers the University comparable to schools such as Northwestern University, Duke University, Emory University and the University of Pennsylvania.

He noted that maintaining and enhancing the University sometimes requires increased costs for students. But he added that the University is working to increase tuition as little as possible by pulling from gifts and endowment funds.

While the rate of tuition increase is higher than the inflation rate, Wrighton said that the rate is actually at its lowest since the 1960s.

Wrighton said that the University was working to keep the cost of tuition manageable by improving scholarships and financial aid. He said that increased financial aid opportunities will help the school achieve greater socio-economic diversity.

“We’ve significantly increased the annual commitment to scholarships,” Wrighton said. “In fact, we’re outpacing our philanthropic success by the commitments that we are making.”

Specifically, Wrighton noted that the University has raised more than $125 million over the past two years, under a public initiative to attract funds for undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

While some students voiced additional concerns about the high price of room and board, Wrighton said that the price was in keeping with quality of the product that students received.

“We receive very positive responses to the quality of our rooms and residential environment and the food service here,” he said. “So yes, we’re expensive on room and board, but we’re not the highest [among peer institutions] there either.”

New York University’s recent decision to stop funding the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP) has incited a host of discussions amongst universities over whether it is practical to offer scholarships based on standardized test scores.

The NMSP has recently come under fire as top-tier schools have begun to doubt the practicality of offering financial aid based on PSAT scores. As the economy continues to struggle, some schools have joined their Ivy League peers to shift their focuses to need-based aid.

NYU has one of the largest merit-based financial aid programs in the country. It was the ninth school to leave the NMSP, two years after funding 83 National Merit scholarships for its 2009-10 class.

For the 2009-2010 freshman class, Washington University funded 161 National Merit Scholars—the fifth largest number in the nation. The University offers Scholars and finalists between $7500 and $8000 over their four years.

The NMSP works with colleges to provide more than $50 million to students annually. Around 15,000 finalists are chosen each year based on performance on the PSAT exam. Approximately 8,300 finalists are selected to receive one of three kinds of Merit Scholarships. Some of these finalists are awarded one-time $2,500 scholarship sponsored directly by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). The University’s policy has been to extend this $2,500 award for three years for each scholar sponsored by the NMSC.

The other two Merit Scholarship categories are corporate-sponsored merit scholarship awards and college-sponsored merit scholarship awards. The University sponsors an annual $2000 scholarship for every NMSP finalist not awarded the $2500 scholarship sponsored by the NMSC.

Some students are supportive of the decrease in university-sponsored NMSC scholarships

“So much importance has been built up around standardized testing, and there’s kind of a modern day consequence to that,” sophomore Yuan Xia said. “People are beginning to realize that this isn’t the most viable method of evaluating a student’s success, so society is reforming its perspective on education in general.”

But Xia added that while the system may be flawed, cutting it may ultimately harm students who depend on the scholarships for college.

“I disagree with standardized testing in general, but…you’d be decreasing the total amount of money granted to students, and that’s what most important,” he said.

National Merit scholarships do not factor into students’ admissions decisions at Washington University.

Director of Student Financial Services, Bill Witbrodt, noted that students are admitted based on a variety of factors: their achievement in high school, their character and integrity and anything else that sets them apart.

Witbrodt added that the University does not recruit students based on their National Merit status.

The Pell Grant program provides up to $5,550 to students based on their financial need, as determined by their FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) profile.

The Senate decision from earlier this month overrides an ongoing House resolution that would have cut 1.7 million students from the program in the coming year. The congressional body did eliminate part of the Pell Grant program in its budget for this year.

Washington University’s Student Financial Services (SFS) is committed to ensuring that future cuts do not affect students at the University.

“If Pell Grant funding is reduced, the University will pick up the shortfall. There will be no impact on student’s financial aid awards,” Bill Witbrodt, director of SFS, wrote in an email to Student Life.

Although only 5.7 percent of the University’s student body receives Pell Grants, University officials have noted that cuts to the federal aid program would be felt.

“This is a big deal because we have between 400 and 500 day school undergraduates eligible for Pell Grants,” Witbrodt wrote. “At this point, we are alert for details about what may transpire so that we can calculate the financial impact on the University.”

While students support the SFS initiative, some are not confident in its capacity to cover indeterminately reduced federal funds.

“I’m not sure how they will fund this, just because of the scale,” junior Harish Chamarthy said. “I think it’s a valiant effort, but at this point I think it’s just them trying to say something now and take action later.”

The Pell Grant program has seen major increases in federal funding every year since 2008, but earlier this year, the Senate cut an estimated $8 billion from its budget by eliminating the year-round Pell Grant program, which provides for students to receive more than one grant per year. This is typically geared at funding students for summer programs in addition to fall and spring tuition.

Cuts were made to other federal scholarship programs this year. Federal Work-Study funding was cut by 0.2 percent, Federal TRIO by $25 million, and GEAR UP programs by $20 million. The Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership program—which funds state grant programs—lost all of its funding.

Matt Mitgang | Student Life

Beaumont 2 RA Sydney Rossman-Reich speaks with her floor at their first floor meeting before convocation. Starting next schoolyear, RAs will be considered University employees. With the new system, RA compensation will no longer impact financial aid packages.

In an email to all RAs for the 2011-2012 school year, Associate Director of Residential Life Mary Elliott announced that the RAs will now be considered full employees of the Office of Residential Life. This will stop their financial aid from being affected.

In the past, some RAs have lost a portion of their financial aid due to their RA compensation.

RAs receive compensation for their housing and for half of their board expenses.

Before this change, students who were considering being RAs had to take into account the effect that being an RA would have on their financial aid before committing to the job.

According to Elliott, several students have to turn down their RA offers each year due to financial aid issues.

“It’s something that the RAs in the previous years have been fighting for a long time,” said sophomore Rachel Koren, a future RA. “It’s unfair that people who qualified for the job had to turn it down because they would lose their financial aid. They should not be penalized for their achievement.”

Elliott said that achieving the status change was a collaborative effort.

“The Office of Residential Life, through a lot of collaboration with partners across campus, was able to re-classify the compensation the RAs receive…so that it does not negatively impact their financial aid packages,” she said. “We’ve been working on this for a number of years and we’re so happy that it’s come to fruition.”

According to Elliott, the only difference to students who accept the position is that they will have to fill out employment forms for the University.

“[It’s] no big rule change or anything like that,” she said.

She added that she hopes the change will allow more qualified students to become RAs, without regard to their financial aid.

“My hope is that it won’t stand in people’s way now. If it was a factor to not apply perhaps now knowing it wont negatively affect them they would consider it,” Elliott said. “When you want to hire someone and think they’re great it’s hard not to hire someone for the team.”

Junior and RA Sarah Michaels thinks that this change will help to even the playing field for all students who want to be RAs, regardless of their financial situation.

“I think it will allow people to make a decision on whether to be an RA based on whether or not it is something they want to do rather than based on whether or not it is something they can afford to do,” Michaels said.

The Princeton Review awarded the University with a “best value distinction,” a title given to 50 private and 50 public universities based on 30 components categorized within three principal classifications: academics, cost of attendance, and financial aid factors.

Because of the ways in which best value schools are decided, the significance of Washington University’s designation is unclear.

When considering the price tag put on education, the Princeton Review considers the aggregate cost of tuition, room and board, and other miscellaneous fees. For a school to qualify for the “best value” tag, it must charge a relatively low sticker price or make attending college more affordable via scholarships, grants, loans and work-study options. The University falls into the latter category.

Julie Shimabukuro, director of undergraduate admissions, acknowledged that while the Princeton Review’s recognition is an honor, the admissions office is unsure of how it will affect future enrollment at the University.

“What influences admissions the most is when our current students tell their friends, prospective students and our visitors about their experiences at Wash. U.,” Shimabukuro said.

According to the Princeton Review’s website, the nation’s best academic institutions are in the running for best value schools. The Princeton Review decides which schools will receive the distinction after reviewing data and student opinion surveys from 650 institutions.

To make the list, schools must attract high-quality students and have outstanding admissions credentials. Furthermore, students must rate their experiences positively.

Many students on campus view Washington University as a high-value institution.

“I agree [with the ranking]. I get financial aid from the student office [Student Financial Services], and I’m satisfied with the education,” junior Jun Yoon said.

Still, some students are hesitant about the meaning of the ranking,

“It’s hard to put a dollar value on education….If education is about getting high-paying jobs, then this is a top-value school,” senior Catherine Yeung said.

In addition to academics, Princeton Review assesses financial factors with equal consideration. At Washington University, because tuition rises steadily, this monetary issue is of particular importance.

Seniors Sarah Fern admitted that she valued the information from the Princeton Review when deciding on a college to attend. She used the rankings to get a cursory look at schools of interest but didn’t ultimately consider the rankings when making her enrollment decision.

“Rankings get people interested in the school, but it’s the environment that draws them in,” Fern said. “There were other elements besides what was written on paper that sealed the deal.”

Since the president released his budget proposal on Monday, Republicans in the House have been debating a proposal of their own to submit in response.

The administration’s budget for the 2012 fiscal year proposes $36.1 billion in Pell grant funding for approximately 9.6 million students but would include a provision preventing students from collecting more than one annual Pell grant. Currently, students may earn a second Pell grant for summer classes.

The maximum grant allocation of $5500 would not be decreased.

In contrast, the Republican plan would reduce the maximum Pell grant amount available for both the regular academic year and summer term.

The Republicans’ propose a reduction in the maximum grant amount possible for students from $5,500 to $4,700, a decrease of 14.5 percent.

According to Steven Smith, the Kate M. Gregg Distinguished Professor of Social Sciences at the Washington University, the Republican-proposed cut will be a blow to financial aid across the board.

“For students at a place like Wash. U., that’s a big chunk,” Smith said. “That’s a pretty big hit, and to have it all done in one year; that’s something to which a student has a hard time adjusting, because that means that whenever you get the Pell grant, whether it is for the regular academic year or the summer, there is just less money available for you.”

According to the Obama administration, the cuts suggested by the Republicans will save money with little effect on graduation rate.

Obama’s plan, Smith said, might be more generous to students than the Republican alternative.

But according to Smith, Obama’s plan would take a large toll on students receiving the maximum grant. It would also affect those students in the upper income range eligible for the grant, who will likely receive less federal aid, if any, under the new budget.

“They used to be able to get that maximum plus an additional amount for the summer; now that additional amount for the summer will disappear,” Smith said. “That will mean less money in the pockets of some students.”

In the past, Pell grants have been extended to students for summer terms so that they can graduate earlier. But after evaluating graduation rates, the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Education found that students who receive summer Pell grants typically do not graduate early.

This is because many of the students who have received summer Pell grants are also working part time, research conducted by the federal government found. Taking courses in the summer allows these students to take fewer courses and work more hours year-round.

“The bigger picture here is that funding for student aid is at risk when both Democrats and Republicans are looking for ways to trim budgets,” Smith said. “I think there’s little doubt that there is going to be somewhat of a hit on Pell Grants for the next fiscal year.”

The effects of the cuts will extend to both the private and public sectors of higher education.

“In the sector of public colleges and universities, we’re going to be seeing rising tuitions and fewer financial aid dollars available,” Smith said. “So, inevitably, there are going to be people who don’t go to college, or delay going to college, or go at a slower pace in order to make it affordable in the new situation. It’s inevitable that that affects working class students from working class families.”

The University will by no means be immune to the effects of the cuts.

“It will affect places like Wash. U. because students will shift from here to a less expensive school, unless the University is able to make it up,” Smith said. “Wash. U. and other schools like it have done pretty well. They’ve worked pretty hard to make it up with internal financial aid dollars. But this is going to be a big system-wide hit, and it will be increasingly difficult for colleges and universities to make it up.”

Student Financial Services at the University plans to compensate students for the cuts in Pell grants.

“If Pell grants for the academic year are reduced, the University will make up the difference according to a policy that has been in place for some time,” Bill Witbrodt, director of Student Financial Services, wrote in an e-mail to Student Life. “If a student’s family’s financial situation stays about the same, and cost (tuition, etc.) increases, then the student’s financial aid award should increase also.”

There are certain benefits embedded in Obama’s proposed budget, including a 13 percent increase in research funding to places like the National Science Foundation.

Obama’s budget would also allocate $8.5 billion in new loan volume to the Federal Perkins Loan Program each year, which reaches approximately three million students. To increase competition among colleges, the plan also proposes $175 million in competitive grants.

The fund increase is for the 2010-2011 academic year.

The Access Missouri program grants scholarships to Missouri residents with financial need who attend college in state. The increase in funds allocated for scholarships will affect the 145 Washington University students who are among the 46,000 Missouri students win the program.

Last year, the state decreased the program’s budget, thus reducing grants for eligible students.

The reasons for the increase include a change in demand for scholarships, a change in the number of eligible students and careful resource management at Access Missouri, according to a news release from Governor Nixon’s office.

Individual allocation increases vary based on the type of higher education institution attended. The maximum scholarships awarded to individual students will increase from $275 to $470 for students at community colleges, $950 to $1,010 for students at four-year public institutions and $1,900 to $2,160 for those at private institutions.

“I imagine that the reason the [Department of Higher Education] is adjusting awards mid-year is simply that some students who enrolled in the fall semester might not have returned for the second semester, or they might not have even started in the fall,” said Rose Windmiller, the assistant vice chancellor for government and community relations at Washington University.

“Some colleges take longer to report their actual enrollment numbers than others—it’s possible that some eligible students did not actually take classes, so Access now has a surplus, which means that currently enrolled students who are receiving the awards will now get a bit more aid than anticipated,” Windmiller said.

These increases in scholarships will allow more students to attain the college degrees that are integral to their future success, according to the governor’s release.

“To compete for jobs in the 21st century, education and training beyond high school are vital,” Nixon said in a statement.

Windmiller stressed the importance of the Access program for Missourians attending the University.

“All financial aid is important to the University. The Access program is particularly important to Missouri students attending WU,” Windmiller said.

Student Financial Services also applauded Nixon’s announced increase in grant levels.

“I’m happy that Governor Nixon is helping Missouri students finance their college educations at the Missouri schools of their choice,” said Bill Witbrodt, director of Student Financial Services.

Several elements affect the grant amount an individual student receives. These include the number of students who apply for the scholarship and the number who actually enroll in college.

Scholarship amounts for the fiscal year staring fall 2011 will be announced in July, when the budget is finalized.

Tuition increased 7.9 percent on public campuses and 4.5 percent at private institutions this year, according to the Trends in College Pricing 2010 report published by the College Board.

The report is a collection of statistical data that seeks to assess the ability of students and their families to subsidize four years of college.

While tuition has increased across the board over the past 15 years, the net cost to students has actually decreased thanks to financial aid packages and grant subsidies that have increased with rising tuition.

But this trend is expected to reverse this year, as the College Board estimates that the net cost of private institutions will increase. Net tuition costs for the 2010-2011 academic year are expected to average $11,320 at private institutions—up from $10,270 the previous year.

The national average for tuition at private institutions this academic year is estimated at $27,290. If room and board were included, the grand total would rise to $36,990. Washington University’s price tag is well above the national average and comes in at $52,892—tuition alone is $39,400.

At Washington University, student financial aid packages are determined by a formula that takes into account both tuition increases and a family’s financial situation.

“Students’ need is calculated based on cost of attending minus expected family contribution,” said Bill Witbrodt, director of Student Financial Services. “If tuition increases and the family expected contribution remains the same, students’ financial aid will follow as much as the tuition increases. This is how we work.”

Despite the University’s above-average price tag, the University was 13th in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Private Colleges ranking, which was released in October.

The Kiplinger ranking differs from traditional college assessments since selectivity and academics only account for two-thirds of the ranking. The remaining third is computed by factoring in variables such as average need-based aid, the percentage of students receiving non-need-based aid and average debt at graduation.

Though the University fell to 17th in average need-based aid awarded, it maintained the 14th spot among colleges in terms of average debt at graduation: $17,288.

The University was just ranked as America’s 35th most expensive school in a ranking compiled by CampusGrotto on Oct. 18.

Students agree that tuition is too high but acknowledge that the University has a strong financial aid system.

“The tuition is too high, but the financial aid is really good here,” sophomore Jennifer Stevens said. “It is obvious that Wash. U. provides much better quality in facilities and services than cheaper colleges. However, I sometimes don’t see where the tuition goes, especially when I’m sitting in big lecture classes.”

The annual forum where students and administrators discuss the tuition price for the next academic year will take place on Nov. 22.

Steve Givens, associate vice chancellor for public affairs, said that the University will announce the 2011-2012 tuition price in January, and while it is uncertain how much tuition will rise, he said that tuition will increase again next year.

The scholarship drive was intended, in part, to keep financial aid stable after many students’ financial circumstances changed following the economic downturn of the past few years. The drive’s formation was announced as the University’s endowment lost money; the University swore that making college affordable to its students was a priority.

“The initiative is to raise scholarship funds to make sure that Wash. U. can enroll students regardless of their financial situation and to make sure that our current students have the funds necessary to graduate,” Bill Witbrodt, director of Student Financial Services, said.

The initiative will end on June 30, 2014 and is gaining most of its funds from the gifts and pledges of alumni and students’ parents.

The scholarship funds are going toward both need- and merit-based financial aid, as determined by the individuals who apply for the scholarships.

Over a period of 18 months, the University has raised almost half of its goal of $150 million.

“We are moving along very nicely toward the goal and ahead of the schedule,” James L. Hamlin, Executive Director of Scholar Support, said.

The funding for the initiative comes from a variety of different sources that include gifts and pledges from alums and friends of the university. Especially among the alums, the “Opening Doors” campaign has gained wide participation.

“The scholarship initiative resonated with friends and alumni who understand the importance of providing financial aid to deserving students,” Hamlin said. “They realize the necessity for providing the monetary aid for these students who want to come to this university. Most donors want it to be based on financial need.”

The optimism among the parties involved with the initiative is also shared by junior Betel Ezaz, the co-chair of WU/FUSED (Washington University for Undergraduate Socioeconomic Diversity).

“I think it’s a very necessary initiative,” Ezaz said. “It shows the University’s commitment to providing for capable students who would not necessarily [have the financial means] to be able to afford coming to Wash. U.”

The initiative allows the University to continue expanding its student diversity, as more financial aid can be handed out to students coming from lower-income backgrounds.

“This allows the admissions office more flexibility in enrolling more economically diverse students,” Ezaz said.

Other schools that made the honor roll include Swarthmore College, Harvard College and Lake Forest College.

According to Princeton Review spokesperson Rebecca Lessem, college-bound high school students and their families are increasingly concerned with finding not only the perfect college but also an affordable one.

“Financial aid is a really hot topic this year, and with the economy, financial aid is a big part of students and parents’ decisions in where they go to school,” Lessem said.

Derek Lam, a senior receiving nearly full financial aid, attested to this point.

“Truman State University offered me a full ride, but Wash. U. gave me a good enough financial aid package so that I could actually afford to come,” Lam said.

Senior Kevin Chang saidhe feels the University’s ranking is consistent with the reality of financial aid here.

“[The rankings] definitely seem pretty reasonable,” Chang said. “Wash. U. has been generous.”

To achieve maximum accuracy, the Princeton Review uses a number of methods when constructing rankings. The company gathers institutional data from administrators, including the percentage of students determined to have a need for aid, the percentage of need met, and the percentage of students whose aid was fully met. The company also uses student surveys.

“We try to reach as many students possible,” Lessem said.

The University evaluates students’ financial situation each year.

“Families complete financial aid applications that include information about their income, their financial position and family demographics,” said Bill Witbrodt, the director of Student Financial Services. “Based on that information, [a financial aid] amount is determined.”

But circumstances can change from year to year, and the University‘s financial aid department responds to these changes.

“Sometimes, [the government has] cut my financial aid, but the school has been generous enough to match whatever cuts the state made. I also have outside scholarships…the school will reimburse you [if necessary],” Lam said.

Although students are generally pleased with their financial aid, international students have a different perspective.

“I feel like at not just Wash. U., but at a lot of colleges in the U.S., just knowing that you’re an international student puts a strain on your eligibility on your financial aid…It’s already really competitive for international students, so [we feel] like, ‘Oh, I can’t ask for financial aid, because then I might not get in,’” senior Yu-Ching Cheng said.

Washington University also fared well on other Princeton Review ranking lists, placing fourth in Quality of Life, ninth in School Runs Like Butter, 10th in Best Campus Food, and 10th in Dorms Like Palaces.