Colby College
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Colby fully meets the demonstrated financial need, as determined by the College, of all admitted students in the form of grants, which do not have to be repaid. Financial assistance is met through a combination of different sources depending on students’ needs, such as, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Work Study, state grants, and the largest source of grant funding, Colby institutional grants. Colby has a deep rooted commitment to financial aid and access; 40% of students are aided in some capacity. Colby also works to reduce the financial burden on families by working to enhance grant awards to account for necessary expenditures such as school supplies and textbooks. Additionally, Colby provides institutional funding to students to study abroad through the same process as tuition is determined. There are also grants available for summer internships. In the future, internships will be further supported by Colby's new Davis Connects program, which seeks to integrate learning in the classroom with off-campus experiences. The mission statement is "DavisConnects expands the reach of this signature program to ensure that every Colby student has opportunities for internships, research, and global experiences."

Based on the diversity of each incoming class, the Administration organizes and offers workshops and classes to prepare the staff and faculty to better serve a diverse student body. The College is currently working on developing some new trainings. Some professors promote resources available to low-income students through their syllabus, such as the Colby Book Fund, which helps students afford textbook fees.

Low-income, International, and first-generation college students have receptions during orientation, are paired with student mentors, and have the Pugh Center to prepare them for higher education. Colby has a growing set of resources and programming for all parents including lectures on move-in day and parents' weekend, and a section of the website is devoted to parents to answer FAQs and provide information. Although the First Generation to College program does not specifically serve low-income families, many students in this program are low-income and the program provides a mentor to these students, as well as host group meetings throughout the year. Colby also partners with the Posse Foundation to bring inner city students who went to a public high school to Colby through guided assistance throughout the college application process, and during their time at Colby. At Colby, Posse students have a mentor who helps guide them through the transition to college. Although Posse is not by definition a program to support low-income families, this program often targets areas of low-income and high need, ultimately bringing rich socio-economic diversity to Colby. Additionally, Colby partners with the QuestBridge Program to identify low-income families and guide students through the college process.

Colby's financial aid is need-based, but awards the Ralph J. Bunche scholarship to students of color who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership skills. This scholarship gives selected students access to a one-time $3,000 internship stipend to be used over a summer or during JanPlan.

Colby has an ongoing partnership with the POSSE Foundation and the QuestBridge Program. Both programs recruit a diverse group of students to Colby, specifically targeting low-income and minority students.

The College awards $25 million in grant assistance annually. Grants do not have to be repaid and are available from a variety of sources including federal and state governments, other outside agencies, and the College’s own funds. Eligible aid recipients are automatically considered for grants. Federal Grants including Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are offered to students who submit completed financial aid applications to the College and demonstrate federal grant eligibility. Additionally, Colby has a diverse range of work-studies and can fund campus events for low-income students. There are hundreds of student job opportunities available, and the College can often match student interest with specific openings across campus. Even if a student does not receive financial aid, he or she can earn up to $1,850 per year by working on campus. If a student receives aid, we expect that student to work 10 to 12 hours each week and use earnings to cover personal expenses.

In 1984 Colby established the Non-Residential Degree Program. This is a self-paced degree-granting program for the non-traditional student. It has been designed to allow individuals to pursue their degrees as their schedules permit. All academic requirements for the Colby B.A. will apply, with the exception of the January Program requirement and the Wellness requirement. Current policies regarding the transfer of credit from other colleges will also apply. Non-residential degree students will pay for their courses on a per credit basis at the rate of one-half the normal tuition charge.

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COLBY COLLEGE POLICY STATEMENT ON NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AT COLBY The following is a clarification of our policies regarding non-traditional students at Colby. Nontraditional students include high school seniors, College employees, faculty/staff spouses or domestic partners and dependents, area residents, and visiting students. The statements below explain the various programs offered by the College and are in compliance with the guidelines outlined in the Colby College Course Catalogue and in the Faculty/Staff Handbook. TUITION REMISSION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS The tuition remission program for area high school students is intended to provide educational opportunities for secondary school seniors who have been recommended to Colby by secondary school principals and guidance counselors. The total number of students accommodated in a single semester will usually not exceed twenty (20). A student enrolled in this program will normally take only one course in any semester. There will be no charge for this course. Additional courses may be elected at 50% of the normal per credit charge. While the secondary schools have the responsibility for selecting and recommending students, individual enrollment must be confirmed by the Colby Admissions Office. Final approval to enroll in a specific course must be granted by the course instructor at registration only after full-time, matriculated Colby students have registered. COLBY EMPLOYEES Continuing full-time employees are eligible to participate in a tuition waiver program and may audit or enroll for credit in ONE course each semester without payment of tuition. Such privileges are contingent upon permission of the course instructor and are granted on the assumption that the employee is qualified to do academic work at Colby and meets the requirements for entry into the desired course of study. Taking a class during work hours must be approved by the employee's supervisor or department head prior to enrollment. Arrangements to make up lost work time must be agreed upon in advance by the employee and his or her supervisor. Spouses or domestic partners of continuing employees are eligible for tuition waivers when attending Colby. Spouses or domestic partners may enroll in courses at Colby for credit, or audit as non-matriculated students without payment of tuition, if their applications for admission are approved by the Office of Admissions. Full-time, matriculated Colby students will have priority in any course in which registration is limited. TUITION WAIVER FOR NON-MATRICULATED EMPLOYEE CHILDREN Dependent children of continuing, full-time Colby employees may enroll in Colby courses for credit without payment under the following conditions. Eligible dependent children are those who are currently in high school, currently enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university, or undergraduates on an approved leave from a college or university. 1. An application for admission must be submitted to and approved by the Office of Admissions. The standards for admission will be the same as those applied to all nonmatriculated students. 2. Under this program, non-matriculated employee children may receive credit for a maximum of four (4) courses, no more than two (2) of which may be taken in any single semester. Courses taken while enrolled in the Tuition Remission Program for high school students are not counted against this maximum. 3. Non-matriculated employee children must receive the permission of the instructor before registering for any course. Full-time, matriculated Colby students will have priority in any class in which registration is limited. AREA RESIDENTS COURSE AUDIT/COURSE CREDIT Audit - Non-matriculated area residents may register to audit courses at Colby free of charge. Permission to do so must be obtained from the Office of Admissions and the course instructor. Full-time, matriculated Colby students will have priority in any class where registration is limited. Credit - Non-matriculated area residents may enroll in courses for credit at Colby at one-half the normal tuition charge.* Application must be made to the Dean of Admissions and permission obtained from the course instructor. The student will be expected to complete all course requirements and the College will maintain a permanent record of courses taken and grades received. Full-time, matriculated Colby students will have priority in any class where registration is limited. NON-RESIDENTIAL DEGREE PROGRAM In 1984 Colby established the Non-Residential Degree Program. This is a self-paced degreegranting program for the non-traditional student. It has been designed to allow individuals to pursue their degrees as their schedules permit. All academic requirements for the Colby B.A. will apply, with the exception of the January Program requirement and the Wellness requirement. Current policies regarding the transfer of credit from other colleges will also apply. Non-residential degree students will pay for their courses on a per credit basis at the rate of one-half the normal tuition charge.* VISITING STUDENTS (SEMESTER) The College has a very limited number of spaces available for qualified visiting students. Visiting student status normally is limited to a single semester, and priority is given to participants in Colby's formal exchange programs. There is no financial aid available for this program. A student interested in enrolling as a visiting student can obtain the necessary application forms by contacting the Office of the Dean of Admissions. VISITING STUDENTS (JANUARY PROGRAM) Dependent children of continuing, full-time Colby employees and other area students are occasionally permitted to enroll in the Colby January Program. Eligible dependent children are those who are currently in high school, currently enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university, or undergraduates on an approved leave from a college or university. Enrollment requests should be directed to the Dean of Admissions. Final approval to enroll in a specific course can be granted only by the course instructor. This can take place only after full-time matriculated Colby students have registered for the January Program. *In order to qualify for reduced tuition, either when enrolled in individual courses for credit or in the non-residential degree program, one must not have been enrolled as a full-time student either in high school or college in the past (4) years.

Colby has chosen to define low-income students in this report as those who qualified for Pell grant funding. Although not every Colby student receives financial aid or assistance, we believe that all students benefit by having a socio-economic diverse student body. Colby is an expensive private college, and without the financial aid programs supported by the institution, a diverse student body would not be possible.