NEWS

In an effort to make college costs more predictable and avoid any unexpected increases in tuition, the Board of Trustees of Newberry College has approved the Tuition Promise, a new program which freezes tuition for incoming freshmen for the next four years while they attend Newberry. The tuition freeze applies to transfer students as well. The Tuition Promise does not apply to room and board. 

“Our goal is to ensure that families have a financial aid plan that will enable the students to focus on their studies and not worry about finding money for next semester,” said Christopher Harris, dean of enrollment management. “Our Tuition Promise makes the cost of attending Newberry transparent and accessible for those seeking an outstanding education.” 

Affordability Key to Student Success 

This is not the first time Newberry College has implemented innovative programs to help families manage college costs.

“This is the third phase of our continued focus on access and affordability, and this remains one of our highest priorities," said President Maurice Scherrens.

In addition to the Tuition Promise, this year’s incoming class will also enjoy the College’s forward-thinking Loan Repayment Promise, the only program of its kind in South Carolina. Together these programs help students realize they can afford a private college education, but more importantly, the College will financially assist them along after graduation. 

“While there are many variables affecting student retention, we firmly believe that affordability should not be among them," said Dr. Sid Parrish, interim vice president for academic affairs. "The Tuition Promise is an important tool in ensuring students are able to remain focused on their academic goals and not on worries about paying for college.” 

“The Board of Trustees is very pleased with the continued enrollment growth and the recognized strengths of our student oriented liberal arts environment. The innovative Tuition Promise directly helps our students and their families with predictable tuition planning,” said Robert Best, chairman of Newberry College’s Board of Trustees. 

Focus on Affordability 

“All of the full-time students enrolled at Newberry receive institutional financial aid in the form of a grant or scholarship to help with the cost,” Harris said. “When institutional aid is coupled with federal and state resources, our students have an average financial aid package of nearly $27,000, which makes Newberry College as affordable as most of the four-year state-supported institutions."

With nearly $17 million awarded in institutional aid for the 2019-2020 academic year, Newberry students are benefitting from the College’s focus on affordability. As part of the Tuition Promise, the total price for tuition, fees, room and board is being increased by 2.3% for all continuing students. All returning students will receive a new $400 Persistence Scholarship. 

Newberry’s claim to the No. 3 spot in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report report for Best Value for Regional Colleges in the South offers strong evidence of the advances Newberry continues to make on its promise of value and affordability. Newberry also grabbed the No. 3 spot in rankings by LendEDU for Lowest Average Student Loan Debt among South Carolina colleges. To view LendEDU's full student loan debt report, visit https://lendedu.com/student-loan-debt-by-school-by-state-2019/.