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Posted by Naomi Rockler-Gladen Jul 16, 2008 |
For students who don't want to be a "number" on a huge state university campus, liberal arts colleges provide a welcoming alternative. But are these schools affordable? A year at an average state school will run you about $13,000, including tuition, room, board, and fees. At a liberal arts college, the price can easily be three times this amount-- or more!
So are liberal arts colleges only for rich kids? Absolutely not. In fact, most liberal arts schools are pretty anti-elitist, and the last thing they want is to fill their campuses up exclusively with kids who can afford a $160,000 education out of pocket. If a liberal arts college thinks you're a good enough student and a good enough match to get admitted, they will try their very best to make sure you can afford it.
Liberal arts colleges regularly give large need-based awards that are based on the data from your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many schools will give students need-based scholarships that cover a large percentage of their projected need--and some schools give awards that take care of most or all of the need. On top of this, students can take out loans and receive addition financial aid from outside the school.
In addition, there's also merit-based scholarships. If you're an excellent student, you may be eligible for both a large need-based and a large merit-based scholarship. Students in this category may find that a liberal arts college is actually more affordable than a state school.
Of course, this doesn't include everyone. Those price tags are high, and there may just be schools you cannot afford no matter what. But if you're committed to the idea of a liberal arts education, you absolutely should not let the price tags prevent you from applying.