George Washington University
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Through the Office of Student Financial Assistance (http://financialaid.gwu.edu/how-does-it-work), GW administers various financial programs to help students and their families afford the cost of attendance and aims to provide the best aid package available. Fixed Tuition (https://studentaccounts.gwu.edu/undergraduate-tuition): GW’s fixed tuition plan gives families the ability to know and plan for the full cost of a four year education. While housing costs may change, tuition will remain the same for an entire undergraduate program, provided the student follows requirements. Pell Grants (http://financialaid.gwu.edu/federal-pell-grant): The number of GW students receiving Pell Grants has steadily increased. It appears that the number of full-time freshmen students receiving Pell Grants increased to nearly 15 percent from 13.8 percent in 2015.

Through HR, MSSC, and Service Excellence, the university offers limited, but on-going training and workshop for faculty and professional and pre-professional staff working with special populations, such as students from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds. Additionally, through the office of Diversity & Inclusion, the University sponsors a grants program called Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion, where we have received numerous proposals that can be utilized to better serve students from low-income backgrounds. The GW Task Force on Access and Success offered recommendations to reduce barriers and create opportunities to enroll low-income, first-generation and/or students underrepresented in STEM fields and careers. The task force recommendations emphasize high impact, replicable models for success. The Task Force formalized a number of new initiatives including a test-optional policy; no longer requiring most undergraduate applicants to submit SAT or ACT test scores. Ongoing access initiatives include DC College Application Week, which is part of a national effort to increase the number of first-generation and low-income students who pursue a postsecondary education. The university’s test-optional policy was the first of many initiatives the university has undertaken in the past year to improve access to a college education for top students from all backgrounds . In March 2017, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement (ODECE) held the 2nd annual Diversity Summit. The Summit included a keynote address and workshops presented by GW faculty members and staff of ODECE on how to engage with a diverse student body. ODECE continues to fund a grants program called Innovation in Diversity and Inclusion, where GW faculty, students and staff can receive funding for activities/programs that better serve a diverse student body.

GW's MSSC sponsors a number of programs to prepare students such as the RISE program, Black Men's Initiative, and partnerships with the University Counseling Center to gain awareness and work-through the challenges of long-term persistence at a predominately white institution (PWI). Private foundations and donors are funding scholarships that enable high school students from target populations --first-generation, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-- to enroll in new summer pre-college programs. In partnership with local nonprofits and GW student organizations, GW’s Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service co-sponsored college awareness and readiness programs local families, middle and high schools with underrepresented student groups. Private foundations and donors are funding scholarships that enable high school students from target populations --first-generation, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-- to enroll in new summer pre-college programs. The GW Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute offers a full-scholarship pre-college program called Caminos Al Futuro, to high school juniors, who are committed to leadership and service within the Hispanic community. In July 2017, Caminos al Futuro, a program funded by the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute, welcomed its second cohort of high school students.

The George Washington University Stephen Joel Trachtenberg Scholars program offers full scholarships to D.C. students. GW awards some incoming freshmen from D.C. a scholarship that covers tuition, room and board, books and fees. Students apply with their application for admission and they must also meet requirements and participate in campus activities to maintain the scholarship. GW’s Power & Promise fund ensures that qualified students can take advantage of a GW education, no matter their financial resources. The fund has raised more than $100 million for scholarships in the past five years. University and Alumni Award is a need based grant may be awarded to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. The Alumni Award can be used only towards tuition expenses. One Year Award is a grant that may be awarded in response to an appeal for additional assistance based on documented extraordinary extenuating circumstances. Say Yes to Education: This organization and GW have partnered to provide scholarships (http://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-offer-scholarships-%E2%80%98say-yes-education%E2%80%99-students) for public high school students meeting certain criteria in Syracuse and Buffalo N.Y., and Guilford County, N.C. This partnership is part of a larger initiative to make college accessible for first generation students. University Awards and Scholarships may be awarded as part of a student’s financial assistance package. Eligible undergraduate students are identified by the office of student financial assistance and there are no separate applications for these awards. Native American Political Leadership Program (INSPIRE) (http://inspire.naplp.gwu.edu/about-inspire-pre-college-program): The program offers a full scholarship, pre-college program to Native American, Native Alaskan and Native Hawaiian high school students. Recipients spend three weeks at GW in the summer and complete a full undergraduate course. Gil and Jacki Cisneros Institute (http://gwtoday.gwu.edu/alumnus-gilbert-cisneros-donates-7-million-gw): The institute helps qualified students attain academic success, build leadership skills, and engage in a long-term commitment to making a difference within the Hispanic community. Students who have demonstrated commitments to leadership, community service and giving back to the Hispanic community, will be considered for Cisneros Scholarships, a four year scholarship that includes mentorship and support. The Cisneros institute also offers a full scholarship pre-college summer program for high school juniors committed to leadership and service in the Hispanic community. Several university offices offer a number of financial opportunities for underrepresented students to pursue and continue their higher education studies. Scholarship opportunities exist for military veteran’s and/or their spouses and students with disabilities. GW is a partner with the Pat Tillman Foundation in providing financial support to military veteran’s and/or spouses through the Tillman Military Scholars Program. The Office of Disability Support Services awards a number of scholarships to currently enrolled, degree seeking students including incoming freshman students. GW’s District Scholars program helps to ensure that high school students from D.C. can attend GW regardless of their families’ financial circumstances. The program offers D.C. high school students who meet specific criteria funding equivalent to what they would receive if they were to enroll at a public university outside of the District.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions regularly provides information on applying and affordability to all prospective students, parents, and high school counselors. The office seeks to attract as diverse a pool of applicants as possible, which enables GW to enroll a diverse student population. Some examples of admissions outreach efforts include: • Affordability, scholarship, and financial aid information that is sent to applicants via email. • Every year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions welcomes prospective high school seniors who are committed to succeeding in a diverse and inclusive environment to participate in Your GW - An Overnight Program Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion. This program allows students to see firsthand how we put knowledge into action at GW while learning about the diversity and cultural opportunities within our communit. • A GW hosted information session on the SJT Scholars program for all public, private, and charter schools in D.C. at a neighborhood library. •Groups from high schools and community organizations are welcome to experience GW! For groups of 8 or more the undergraduate admissions office offers an hour-long tour of the Foggy Bottom Campus. The undergraduate admissions office also offers prospective students may observe 1000-level or 2000-level introductory courses. The Undergraduate Admissions office offers the following programs targeted to recruit students from low-income backgrounds. • Chicago Scholars Chicago Scholars is the largest college access and success program in Chicago, serving over a thousand scholars each year. It provides seven years of mentoring and career support as students explore and actualize their college and life dreams. The organization works to develop deep collaborations with community based organizations and has a national network of over 100 colleges and universities. As a partner school, GW: • Attends the July and October sponsored Chicago Scholars events • Provide travel assistance to students admitted into the Your GW program • Collaborates with Chicago Scholars in supporting students through the application cycle National Hispanic Institute Through programs such as Great Debate (9th grade), Lorenzo De Zavala (10th/11th) and Collegiate World Series (11th), NHI creates experiences that engage achieving high school youth in community leadership roles that advance our quality of life. As a College Register member, GW is committed to attending the college fairs offered as part of the Lorenzo De Zavala programs. We also annually attend one of the Collegiate World Series events. The Posse Foundation Posse partner colleges and universities are helping transform the landscape of leadership in the United States by committing critical resources to diversifying their campuses, making their climates more welcoming to all students and ensuring that Posse Scholars graduate with the finest education in the country. GW became a Posse school in 2015, pledging its support for the Atlanta cohort. As a Posse partner, we: Work together with The Posse Foundation to select 10 students from the Atlanta area each year, providing a minimum of a full-tuition grant to each selected student Designate and appoint a senior administrative officer to serve as a liaison to the Posse program Identify a campus mentor for the incoming “posse” 1st an annual Posse Plus Retreat Say Yes Say Yes believes that when a community comes together, it has the capacity to effectively and sustainably redefine expectations and to build pathways to postsecondary education and careers. In joining the Say Yes Higher Education Compact, GW ensures that students from Say Yes communities whose annual family income is at or below $75,000, and who are accepted through the institution’s regular admission process, are eligible, at a minimum, to attend tuition-free. Strive for College / I'm First To expand college opportunity to low income and first generation students, GW partnered with Strive for College and I’m First. As a partner school, GW attends virtual events, participates in live chats with I’m First prospective high school participants, and connects admitted first generation students with current first generation students on our campus. Yes Prep (IMPACT) YES Prep has established partnerships with colleges and universities nationwide to enroll students in “cohorts.” These cohorts, or clusters, of students are designed to serve as mutually supportive communities within the larger college campus. As a partner school GW commits to: Attending both the district-wide YES Prep College Fair and IMPACT Scholar programs Provide travel assistance to students admitted into the Your GW program. Dedicating 3-5 total spaces for YES Prep students each year from the incoming freshman class and designate them as a GW IMPACT Scholar Offer a campus visit to admitted students designated GW IMPACT Scholars Meeting the demonstrated financial need of admitted of GW IMPACT Scholars The Office of Admissions continued with their implementation of DC-focused programming that improves the readiness and increases the number of students enrolling in colleges across the nation. Among the new initiatives are programs bringing 30 high school counselors and 25 juniors to campus; a service project deploying the undergraduate admissions staff during College Application Week to assist students completing college applications at DC high schools; and dedicated staff to support and implement best practices in DC high schools that improve college readiness. The 30% increase in DC high school graduates enrolled in the Fall 2014 first-year class demonstrates GW’s enhanced commitment to local students.

The Federal Work Study Program is a federally-funded work program that allows students who qualify to earn money while working at a pre-approved organization: GW departments, local nonprofits, government agencies and community service employers. Siemens Corporation & Hearst Foundation: This partnership with GW funds opportunities for underrepresented D.C. public and charter school students to participate in pre-college programs in the STEM and Arts fields. STEM Pipeline Partnership (http://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-nova-celebrate-new-partnership): GW and the Northern Virginia Community College have partnered to provide a path for STEM students who complete their associate’s degree to earn a bachelor’s degree through GW’s College of Professional Studies. Dual Enrollment DCPS Partnership: GW partners with the District of Columbia Public Schools to provide full tuition dual enrollment opportunities through the GW Early College Program (GWECP). Students complete their last two years of high school while earning an Associates of Arts degree from GW. GW also funds tuition for high school students who enroll in GW courses through the Exposure and High School/College Internship Programs. Upward Bound at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences provides free supplemental education, extracurricular resources and opportunities for low income, potential first generation college students to facilitate their matriculation into a post-secondary institution. The university accepts the common application which increases the completion of applications from low-income students. GW joined with the nonprofit organization Say Yes to Education to provide full-tuition scholarships for public high school students from participating chapters in New York and North Carolina whose annual family income is at or below $75,000. GW launched the District Scholars Award, a grant that will expand college access to District of Columbia high school students to ensure that high-achieving D.C. students from families with annual household incomes at or below $75,000 can attend GW when offered admission.

The Bright Horizons Children’s Center serves the GW community by providing full-time, part-time, and back-up care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old.

Yes The George Washington University Office of Military and Veteran Student Services is committed to providing our student veterans, dependents, and military personnel with both student support services and student administrative services. GW continued its commitment to military and veteran students by expanding its Yellow Ribbon Program benefits in June 2016. The university has been named a “Best for Vets” university by Military Times since 2010 and has been listed among G.I. Jobs’ “Military-Friendly” institutions since 2009. The Office of Non-Degree Students (ONDS) supports students who are not enrolled in a degree or certificate program through GW, but would like to take a class. Alumni and local area seniors interested in auditing courses may do so through the Alumni Course Audit Program (http://alumni.gwu.edu/alumni-course-audit-program) with the GW Alumni Office. Corcoran Arts Continuing Education offers a dynamic environment for artistic spirits of all abilities and interests to work, explore and mingle. Courses (https://nondegree.gwu.edu/cce) are taught by leading professionals in their fields. Non-degree students of all ages & abilities participate in classes in ceramics, digital media design, drawing, interior design, painting, photography, sculpture, woodworking and more. Corcoran Arts is the resource to brush up on basics, develop further expertise, or just have fun. Afternoon, evening, and weekend classes are available to work around your schedule. The GW Teachers in Industry Project (http://teachersinindustry.gwu.edu/) (GW TIP) is an initiative to provide middle and high school core content teachers the opportunity to experience firsthand the work environment for which they are preparing their students. Externship experiences at top regional businesses allow teachers in the english, math, science, social studies and CTE content areas to become aware of the core knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the STEM-focused 21st century workforce. Students in this program are considered non-degree students at the university. The GW Parenting Initiative and website provides information about parent and breastfeeding resources. The GW Parenting Group was established in Spring 2012- as a place for GW faculty, staff and students who are also parents to gather, both virtually and in person, to share tips, ideas, challenges and experiences gained on the journey of parenthood.

https://www.gwu.edu/access-success http://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/ https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/admissions-representatives https://cisneros.columbian.gwu.edu/ https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/financial-aid https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/district-scholars-program https://undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/sjt https://hr.gwu.edu/you-your-family