Harvard Says Poor Parents Won’t Have to Pay
February 29, 2004
By KAREN W. ARENSON
Aiming to get more low-income students to enroll, Harvard
will stop asking parents who earn less than $40,000 to make
any contribution toward the cost of their children's
education. Harvard will also reduce the amount it seeks
from parents with incomes between $40,000 and $60,000.
February 29, 2004
By KAREN W. ARENSON
Aiming to get more low-income students to enroll, Harvard
will stop asking parents who earn less than $40,000 to make
any contribution toward the cost of their children's
education. Harvard will also reduce the amount it seeks
from parents with incomes between $40,000 and $60,000.
"When only 10 percent of the students in elite higher
education come from families in the lower half of the
income distribution, we are not doing enough," said
Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard, who will
announce the financial aid changes at a meeting of the
American Council on Education in Miami Beach today.
education come from families in the lower half of the
income distribution, we are not doing enough," said
Lawrence H. Summers, president of Harvard, who will
announce the financial aid changes at a meeting of the
American Council on Education in Miami Beach today.
Dr. Summers said that higher education, rather than being
an engine of social mobility, may be inhibiting it because
of the wide gap in college attendance for students from
different income classes.
an engine of social mobility, may be inhibiting it because
of the wide gap in college attendance for students from
different income classes.
Harvard officials said they believed theirs would be the
first selective college to remove the parental contribution
for low-income students, though some colleges do this
unofficially to attract students they want.
At Harvard, the idea of eliminating the parental
contribution grew out of focus groups with lower-income
students last fall. University officials found that many of
the students were paying some or all of their parents'
share themselves.
Peter M. Brown, a junior from Oklahoma who participated in
the focus groups, said that was true for him. One of seven
children whose father died in 1991 and whose mother works
as a schoolteacher, he said he did not show his mother the
bill for the parental contribution. Last year it was nearly $3,000.
the focus groups, said that was true for him. One of seven
children whose father died in 1991 and whose mother works
as a schoolteacher, he said he did not show his mother the
bill for the parental contribution. Last year it was nearly $3,000.
Only 7 percent of Harvard undergraduates are from families
with earnings in the lowest quarter of American household
incomes, and 16 percent are from the bottom half. Nearly
three-quarters are from families with earnings in the top
quarter.
Dr. Summers said that the numbers at most other selective
private colleges were similar.
private colleges were similar.
Harvard's tuition this year is $26,066. With room, board,
books and other expenses, the total can reach $44,000.
Harvard provides about $80 million in scholarship aid.
books and other expenses, the total can reach $44,000.
Harvard provides about $80 million in scholarship aid.
Parents who earn less than $40,000 are now asked to
contribute an average of $2,300. That figure will drop to
zero under the new plan, which begins in the fall. Parents
with incomes of $40,000 to $60,000 will have their contributions cut to an average of $2,250, from an average of $3,500.
Students will still be expected to contribute by working
over the summer and in the school year.
over the summer and in the school year.
Harvard officials said they expected the new initiative to
cost about $2 million next year and to help about 1,000 of
the 6,600 undergraduates.
As tuition and other costs at most colleges have risen
faster than family incomes have, students have increasingly
turned to loans.
faster than family incomes have, students have increasingly
turned to loans.
Harvard and other universities with large endowments have
given more grants in recent years, reducing the amount
students must borrow. Princeton has removed loans from its
aid packages for all students. Harvard has reduced loans
but allows students to use them to offset the amount of
work they must do. This year, Harvard graduates will have
an average debt of $8,800, compared with $14,600 in 1998.
given more grants in recent years, reducing the amount
students must borrow. Princeton has removed loans from its
aid packages for all students. Harvard has reduced loans
but allows students to use them to offset the amount of
work they must do. This year, Harvard graduates will have
an average debt of $8,800, compared with $14,600 in 1998.
Mr. Brown, the junior, said his mother's entire salary was
well below the cost of a year at Harvard. In the past, he
has simply asked her what she felt she could contribute.
well below the cost of a year at Harvard. In the past, he
has simply asked her what she felt she could contribute.
"She'd give me a figure," he said. "It was not as much as
the school asked. I would say, `I really appreciate that,'
and then I would make up the difference."
the school asked. I would say, `I really appreciate that,'
and then I would make up the difference."
He said he led a "spartan life" at school to save money.
Besides spending about 10 hours a week on a federally
subsidized campus job, he is always looking for other jobs
or studies that pay participants.
or studies that pay participants.
Under the new plan, he said, "I won't have to look every
week for people who need boxes moved or other things."
week for people who need boxes moved or other things."
Brian K. Fitzgerald, staff director for the Advisory
Committee on Student Financial Assistance, said Mr. Brown's
situation was not unusual.
Committee on Student Financial Assistance, said Mr. Brown's
situation was not unusual.
"Lots of kids, including middle-income kids, are making up
that parental expectation out of their own earnings," said
Dr. Fitzgerald, whose committee advises Congress.
that parental expectation out of their own earnings," said
Dr. Fitzgerald, whose committee advises Congress.
Under federal financial aid programs, parents who earn less
than $15,000 a year are not expected to contribute to their
children's college education; the advisory committee has
recommended that that figure be raised to $35,000, or at
least $25,000.
than $15,000 a year are not expected to contribute to their
children's college education; the advisory committee has
recommended that that figure be raised to $35,000, or at
least $25,000.
"The reality today is that in families earning $35,000,
those parental contributions are simply not there," Dr.
Fitzgerald said.
those parental contributions are simply not there," Dr.
Fitzgerald said.
Dr. Summers said that making college more affordable for
low-income, high-ability students would address only part
of the problem. The more difficult challenge, he said, was
giving lower-achieving, low-income students the support
they need to qualify academically.
He said Harvard would expand its recruitment of
lower-income students. Harvard is also starting a summer
academy this year for high school students from low-income families.
low-income, high-ability students would address only part
of the problem. The more difficult challenge, he said, was
giving lower-achieving, low-income students the support
they need to qualify academically.
He said Harvard would expand its recruitment of
lower-income students. Harvard is also starting a summer
academy this year for high school students from low-income families.
--------------------------
FN Lugemwa
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