Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison V.S. (Raghu) Raghavan
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Mount Holyoke College
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
-- Reporter Nancy Apple
Director
Environmental Health & Safety
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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:

Mount Holyoke College offers financial aid to incoming students based on an analysis of the income and assets of the parents and the student.  We use institutional methodology to determine the family contribution and have, in the past, fully met institutional eligibility with aid including a standard loan amount, work study, and grant funding from all sources. For 2012-2013, Mount Holyoke's billed fees did not increase from 2011-2012. As need-based financial aid is tied to family income and assets, lower income students receive significant need-based aid over the four years of enrollment.


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

Most classes are small and advisors meet with students prior to registration each term.  Each class has a class dean who is also available to help students navigate the academic program.  The culture at Mount Holyoke is one that appreciates diversity and historically has been committed to supporting students from all socioeconomic backgrounds in all facets of the community.  Low income students achieve a high graduation rate.


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

Mount Holyoke has primarily need-based assistance; low-income students receive grant funding based on an analysis of the family's income and assets.  Depending on packaging policies, students would be packaged with no more than $30,000 in need-based loans over four years. Pell grant recipients comprise 21% of the student body (24% of the domestic students who are eligible for federal aid).


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

Mount Holyoke College’s Office of Admission recruitment plan includes specific outreach to Community Based Organizations (CBOs), non-profit organizations that work with youth in underserved communities to help them achieve educational and professional goals. This outreach takes the form of yearly visits to meet with students, leading college admission workshops specifically geared towards first-generation students and their families, and continued communications with CBO counselors throughout the reading and selection processes.


A brief description of the institution’s other policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:
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Does the institution have policies and programs to support non-traditional students?:
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A brief description of the institution’s scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:
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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:
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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'):
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The percentage of entering students that are low-income (0-100):
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The graduation/success rate for low-income students (0-100):
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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):
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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):
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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.