Cornell University
PA-8: Affordability and Access

The University provides what is known as need-based aid. This means that a calculation based on the information from FASFA and the CSS Profile is used to create a financial aid award for students. The University also has developed two initiatives as it pertains to financial aid. The first is for parent contribution, and the second student loan. These are tiered programs to assist in making the Cornell more accessible.

The parent contribution initiative states that families with income below $60,000 and total assets less than $100,000, that student can receive a package without a parent contribution.

The loan initiative states a family with income below $60,000 will have a student aid package without a loan. If the income is slightly higher, between $60,000 and $75,000, the loans will be capped at $2,500. If the family income is between $75,000 and $120,000, the loan is capped at $5,000 in the package. And if the family income is above $120,000, the loan is capped at $7,500 in the package. All of these options make Cornell a very affordable institution for our neediest students.

http://finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend/financial-aid-initiatives

The University has several offerings designed to support faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds. Through the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE), many resources are available online for faculty as they plan and design courses, syllabi, and teaching strategies. Staff from the office are available for consultation on issues and serve as resources. Additionally, CTE sponsors the Faculty Institute on Diversity, a three day institute that brings faculty together to discuss issues related to diversity and how to incorporate and infuse them into all aspects of their teaching.

Through the McNair program, workshops have been offered for faculty mentors on working with the diverse backgrounds of the scholars and how to support them on their path to PhDs.

The Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives and the Office of Institutional Research and Planning regularly provide data to colleges and departments about the progress, retention, and achievement of students who are Pell-Grant eligible and those on financial aid in comparison with all other students.

Training and resources for staff are also provided through the Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity.

http://www.cte.cornell.edu/index.html
https://www.hr.cornell.edu/diversity/
https://oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-success-programs/mcnair.html

One program that works with low-income students to prepare for college is the Pre-Freshman Summer program. While not every student enrolled in the program is from a low-income background, the majority of the students are. This program is designed to be a bridge program for students to aid in the preparation and transition and from high school to college. This is a requirement for students enrolled in Cornell through the Arthur O. Eve Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) for low-income NYS residents. These two programs are administered in conjunction with the seven undergraduate colleges and schools through the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives. NYS residents from low-income backgrounds who are considered academically underprepared are selected for the program and through financial and academic support are given admission to Cornell. The Prefreshmen Summer Program helps to prepare them for the academic year.

Cornell has several scholarship programs for high school students from low-income backgrounds to attend our residential Summer College, and we also partner with the Telluride Foundation on campus to bring a similar cohort of students to that summer program. Additionally, the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives has secured funded to provide 10 high school schools from Harlem, NY, the opportunity to attend Summer College. In addition to the regular Summer College Offerings, these students are paired with a staff member in OADI to support and advise them throughout the summer.

We have conducted financial aid application workshops in NYC the last 6 years.

http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/types-aid
https://oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-opportunity-programs/arthur-o-eve.html

http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/types-aid

Cornell has made the commitment to students who demonstrate financial need by meeting that need with one or more financial aid components. Each aid application is carefully reviewed and a specific aid package is designed to meet each students' particular need.

Building on a long history of providing opportunity and access to students regardless of economic circumstances, Cornell also has several financial aid initiatives to help ease the financial burden for undergraduate students and their parents. Cornell has added undocumented students with DACA (Deferred Action) status to the pool of students eligible for full need funding in financial aid.

http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend/financial-aid-initiatives

Cornell has implemented several financial initiatives as part of our commitment to provide need-based aid and make Cornell affordable for admitted students.

Parent Contribution Initiative
Families with a total family income of less than $60,000, and total assets of less than $100,000 (including primary home equity), will have no parent contribution. Total family income equals adjusted gross income for the most recent tax year, plus any business or other losses, as well as any untaxed income. In cases of divorce or separation, we calculate total family income for each parent and add them together.

Loan Initiatives
Cornell is committed to keeping student loans at a reasonable level. Need-based loans included in aid packages are capped based on total family income. Our loan initiatives are outlined in the chart below.

Total family income Loan in aid package
Under $60,000 annually
$0

Between $60,00 and 75,000 annually
$2,500

Between $75,00 and 120,000 annually
$5,000

Above $120,000 annually
$7,500

Total family income equals adjusted gross income for the most recent tax year, plus any business or other losses, as well as any untaxed income. In cases of divorce or separation, we calculate total family income for each parent and add them together.

Award Match Initiative
To improve Cornell’s competitiveness in recruiting and enrolling undergraduate students, Cornell will commit to increasing grant aid by matching the family contribution components and lower loan level of financial aid offers from other Ivy schools. We will also strive to match the family contribution components and lower loan levels of financial aid offers from Stanford, Duke, and MIT.

The Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives provides financial support to bring low-income parents to Cornell's first-year parents weekend and to attend commencement, including fully-sponsored transportation, housing, and meals.

Through the NYS Opportunity Programs (EOP/HEOP), the Director, Assistant Director, and Senior Advisor travel across NYS recruiting through college fairs as well as high school and community based organization visits. They discuss these programs with prospective high school students. The office works collaboratively with the Undergraduate Admissions Office to coordinate trips, materials, and outreach across the state as well as participate in any on-campus bus trips from agencies and high schools.

https://oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-opportunity-programs/arthur-o-eve.html

Cornell University recently began a partnership with the Posse Foundation. The Posse Foundation is a college access and youth leadership program that matches promising high school students with top-tier colleges and universities across the United States. Each year these students enter college in a multicultural cohort (Posses) of 10. The first Posse began during the Fall 2013 semester.

Additionally, Cornell has engaged in a partnership with Say Yes to Education. Say Yes is a non-profit organization that partners with different cities to promote the promise of a college education to students within the city schools. Say Yes currently operates in the cities of Philadelphia, Pa; Syracuse, NY; Buffalo, NY; Hartford, CT; and Harlem, NY. As part of the agreement, students from these cities that graduate high school, are provided the opportunity to attend a partner institution (in-state public school or over 60 private institutions) with a guarantee of tuition costs covered.

Cornell also works closely with the Jack Kent Cook Foundation and Gates Millennium Scholars to bring and support students while on campus. All of these program students can receive advisement in the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives to help guide and direct them to the appropriate resources.

https://www.oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-opportunity-programs/posse-program.html
https://oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-opportunity-programs.html

http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend/financial-aid-eligibility

The amount of financial assistance a family needs each year is determined by the following formula:

Total Cost to Attend
Estimated costs include:

Tuition and fees
Housing (standard double-room rate)
Dining (Bear Traditional meal plan)
Books and supplies
Travel and miscellaneous

Family Contribution
Income, assets, family size, and the number of children in college are all considered when calculating the amount your family can contribute. If parents are separated or not married, Cornell reviews each one’s financial information. Usually, each parent is expected to contribute, and that expectation continues throughout your undergraduate years.

Cornell may make exceptions to this if a family has special circumstances.

Financial Need
After deducting what a family can pay from the total cost to attend, a financial need is determined. A financial need may be met with a combination of work, loans and grants.

Consistency
We try hard to be consistent in the way we consider financial circumstances from year to year. If a family's financial circumstances remain relatively unchanged throughout your time at Cornell, a predictable financial aid package each year can be expected.

The Pre Professional Programs (P3) is a programming and support initiative housed in the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives for the purpose of recruiting, preparing and graduating underrepresented, economically disadvantaged, or first-generation students to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and Professional fields.

Additionally, OADI provides Community Development and Social Justice Programming through which students from non-traditional backgrounds are engaged and supported. A particular focus is on first-generation college students through the "First In Class" as well as non-traditional students through the "Trailblazers" programs. Each of these programs offer regular workshops and meetings to provide support to students and assist them in navigating through higher education.

OADI also provides funding support for students involved in the programs to be able to obtain experiences through research, internships, and other professional development ventures.

https://www.oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-success-programs/cdsjp.html
https://oadi.cornell.edu/programs/student-success-programs/pre-professional-programs.html/
https://oadi.cornell.edu/funding%20and%20student%20employment/student-organization-dept-funding.html

Cornell does not have scholarships for part-time students, except through its employee tuition program and its summer college pipeline scholarships.

There is an on-site child care center managed by Bright Horizons Family Solutions. This venue provides child care support for children from 6 weeks to 5 years. The service is open to all Cornell faculty, staff, and students and there is a fee for the service. Cornell students with dependents can apply for a grant to in the cost of child care. Additionally, there is a Dependent Care Consultant available for students to explore child care options.

http://studentswithfamilies.cornell.edu/
http://child-care-preschool.brighthorizons.com/NY/Ithaca/Cornell/

Through the Office of Academic Diversity Initiatives (OADI), the Community Develop and Social Justice Programming encompasses non-traditional students. Programming and support is given for students who are adult learners, students with dependents, veterans, and first generation students.