Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.12
Liaison Kristina Hope
Submission Date March 1, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Knox College
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.22 / 4.00 Deborah Steinberg
Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives
Office of Sustainability
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Does the institution have policies and programs to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:

The Gale Scholar program is a collaborative partnership between Knox, the local school district, (Galesburg District 205) and the area community college (Carl Sandburg College), created to encourage and support higher education aspirations and success in the target population of academically promising first-generation and income eligible youth within District 205.

Each year up to 15 students are selected, and they join other cohorts to participate in summer enrichment and academic preparation, community service, and special skill-building experiences. Students who complete the program in high school receive tuition-waiver scholarships toward the completion of associate's and bachelor's degree programs at Carl Sandburg College and Knox, respectively. Highly academically successful students at Galesburg High School may qualify for direct enrollment at Knox College.


A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:

The TRIO Achievement Program supports the retention and graduation of students from modest income backgrounds and those whose parents do not have a four-year college degree. TRIO staff are trained to assist students with all aspects of the student experience -- personal, financial, academic, cultural, and more.


A brief description of the institution’s programs to guide and prepare students and families from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

The Gale Scholars program, engages academically promising students from low-income backgrounds in summer enrichment and academic preparation, community service, and special skill-building experiences.

The SPARK program, is a 10 day bridge program immediately preceding the start of fall classes and serves a particular group of eligible first-year students, primarily first-genration and low-income, giving them an in-depth preview of how a liberal arts college "works". The over-arching goal of SPARK, both during the bridge portion and throughout the subsequent academic year, is to help these students realize that they belong at and can truly succeed at Knox College. We want to keep them, and we want to help them succeed.

College 4 Kids is a summer program at Knox, engaging students in grades three through eight. In 2017, more than 170 children participated in more than 20 courses in the humanities, physical and social sciences, fine arts, languages, and mathematics. Courses are designed to engage high-achieving students, as well as serving as an entryway into higher education for many children of color and those from low-socio-economic-status backgrounds who, in the future, might be the first in their families to attend college.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

Knox College offered $28,052,505 in need-based financial aid for academic year 2016-17.

Approximately 83% percent of new (U.S. first-year) students entering in fall 2016 qualified for financial aid based on need. Awards ranged from $15,500 to $54,654.

Student financial aid awards are based on financial need, determined by a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the Knox Financial Aid Application.


A brief description of the institution’s targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Knox has decades-long relationships with CBOs in Chicago and elsewhere. Almost 10% of the Knox student body is from the Chicago Public School system.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

Campus employment and work study awards give priority for campus jobs to students in financial need. Eligible students can work up to 10 hours per week and earn up to $2,475. Most work award recipients use their earnings to pay for personal expenses, books, and supplies. A list of campus jobs available to students is perpetually updated, and available on the school's online job bank.

Knox also accepts a payment plan option, offered through CashNet. CashNet provides three term-length payment plans of three or four months each so payments for the entire year can be spread across nine or 12 months.

Knox also has a scholarship program -- generally limited to no more than one-half of our comprehensive fee -- for non-U.S. citizens who demonstrate financial need and exceptional academic promise.


Does the institution have policies and programs to support non-traditional students?:
Yes

A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:

Knox’s scholarship program is available to part-time and full-time students. If a student is part-time, then the student will receive 50% of the full time scholarship.


A brief description of the institution’s on-site child care facility, partnership with a local facility, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:

n/a


A brief description of the institution’s other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:
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Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (tracking accessibility and affordability)? (If data is not available, select 'No'):
Yes

The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
29

The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
78

On average, the percentage of need that was met for students who were awarded any need-based aid (e.g. as reported to the U.S. Common Data Set initiative, item H2) (0-100):
86

The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt or for whom no out-of-pocket tuition is required (i.e. the percentage of graduates who have not taken out interest-bearing loans) (0-100):
29

Estimated percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students (0-100):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.