Following the Board of Trustee's March 7 announcement of a 5.9-percent increase in tuition, room, board and fees, various students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they were worried that the costs which rose from $52,275 to $55,365 may deter prospective applicants, while other students called for the College to match elevated tuition with improvements in student life.
The Financial Aid Office has not received any complaints from families of current or prospective students, according to Director of Financial Aid Virginia Hazen.
The amount of funding offered in financial aid packages will increase along with tuition, Hazen said.
"When we do financial aid, the new costs are taken into consideration," she said. "What the families are asked to contribute is based on the family's ability to pay, not the cost of Dartmouth."
The College will likely see a $3 million increase in financial aid expenditures during the 2011-2012 academic year, up from $77 million in 2010-2011, according to a College press release.
The increase will be funded by College general funds, Executive Vice President Steven Kadish said in a previous interview with The Dartmouth.
With the increase in tuition, the College should also increase the "cut-off" for financial aid, Michael Zhu '14 said.
"People came in here thinking they would have to pay a certain amount," he said. "If they're going to change that, then it's only fair that they also raise the income level [up to which] you can get financial aid for."
Some students said they were concerned about the members of the Dartmouth community who just missed the financial aid cutoff and will struggle with additional loans to cover the increased tuition cost.
"While it doesn't personally affect me, there are tons of kids here for whom it can be make or break," Jillian Mayer '14 said.
Other students interviewed by The Dartmouth said that because financial aid packages will also increase, the rise in tuition is unlikely to cause significant problems.
"I feel like it kind of takes care of itself," Michael Bonaccorso '13 said. "I still trust that the financial aid program and school would help the people that need it."
Although the Financial Aid Office will increase award packages, some students said they are worried about the message the tuition hike will send to potential applicants.
"Even if financial aid might cover the rise in tuition cost, it still sends the signal that Dartmouth is only affordable to the more wealthy and privileged people in the world," Joshua Lee '13 said.
Some students might not be concerned about the tuition increase because they are not under immediate pressure to meet financial obligations, Katherine Conway '13 said.
"I feel like people are more concerned about the meal plans, and the way Topside doesn't roll over, because it has a more direct effect on their lives," she said. "Maybe the parents are really struggling to find the money for tuition, but if they're not talking to you about it it's not going to be on your radar screen as much."
Students interviewed by The Dartmouth questioned whether the tuition increase could have been avoided if the College had not pursued certain expensive projects over the past year.
"It just makes me question the budget in general," Sarah Trahern '12 said. "Does the tuition need to go up while they're working on the [Class of 1953 Commons]? Who funded these new recycling bins in Collis?"
Other students expressed hope that the College will establish new opportunities like smaller introductory classes or improved housing conditions with the revenue generated from increased tuition costs.
"I want to see some tangible difference if I am paying more," Abby Cohen '14 said.
The rise in tuition is necessary in order to increase revenue and help resolve the College's overall budget gap, Kadish said in a previous interview with The Dartmouth. The elevated tuition will bring the College approximately $5-6 million in increased revenue after covering additional financial aid costs, The Dartmouth previously reported.
