"We want them to be contributing members of their local communities in the state. "We also want them to be educated citizens," Casey said. Plus, the goals the school sets for its students are broader and focuses on civic-mindedness, he added.
"We teach the liberal arts, so we're explicitly not teaching them careers, but we're teaching them how to be thoughtful people in the world and empathetic people." "There's lots of ways you can measure the value of an education, and particularly our form of education," Casey said. Amherst's and Princeton's track records with no loans are far longer.Īmid a national conversation over the cost of college and whether it delivers an adequate return on investment, Casey stressed that education at a four-year college was more than just a degree. Other highly selective schools are doing the same: Earlier this week, Smith College also announced that it was eliminating loans from its undergraduate financial aid packages starting in fall 2022, and replacing them with grants. We're in a very fortunate position that we can do this, but I think any institution that can push this way really ought to, we have an obligation to the nation to do that."
And so, I just have to thank our alumni who produced those resources for it right away. "600 students' lives were changed immediately. "One of the greatest days in my life was the day we got to send out emails to all the sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and to tell them 'your loans just got taken away,'" Casey said. On top of that, students with an annual family income of $80,000 or less will attend tuition-free. (Photo: Colgate University/Facebook) 'One of the greatest days in my life'Ĭasey explained that anyone attending Colgate from families making an income of less than $150,000 will not have to take federal student loans and instead receive grants. Colgate will provide full tuition support for the lowest-income students.