University of Maryland, College Park
PA-7: Affordability and Access

Part 1

Institution has policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students and/or to support non-traditional students. Such policies and programs may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students
• Programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds
• Programs to guide and prepare students and families from low-income backgrounds for higher education (e.g. U.S. federal TRIO programs)
• Scholarships provided specifically for low-income students
• Targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds
• Scholarships provided specifically for part-time students
• An on-site child care facility, a partnership with a local facility, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students

Part 2

Institution documents its accessibility and affordability to low-income students as demonstrated by one or more of the following indicators:

1. The percentage of entering students that are low-income (e.g., the percentage of students receiving Pell Grant funds as reported in the U.S. IPEDS Student Financial Aid component or the percentage of students receiving the Canada Student Grant for Students from Low-Income Families)
2. The graduation/success rate for low-income students
3. On average, the percentage of need met for students who were awarded any need-based aid (e.g. as reported to the U.S. Common Data Set initiative, item H2)
4. The percentage of students graduating without 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)

This credit applies to all institutions.

Each part is scored independently.

Part 1

An institution earns the maximum of 1 point available for Part 1 of this credit by having policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students and to support non-traditional students. Partial points are available. For example, an institution that has policies and programs in place to support non-traditional students but not low-income students, would earn 0.5 points (half of the points available for Part 1).

Part 2

Institutions earn up to the maximum of 3 points available for Part 2 of this credit based on performance measured by one or more of the indicators listed. For example, an institution that reports 100 percent for three of the four indicators would earn 3 points for this credit. Likewise, an institution that reports 75 percent or more for all four indicators would earn 3 points. Incremental points are available; for example, an institution that reports 50 percent for 3 of the four indicators would earn 1.5 points (half of the points available for Part 2 of this credit). Points are earned according to the following table:

Timeframe

Part 1

Report on current programs, policies, and practices at the time of submission.

Part 2

Report the most recent data available from within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission.

Sampling and Data Standards

Part 1

In addition to institution-wide policies or programs, report on policies and programs pertaining to the institution’s largest admissions group or student cohort (e.g., undergraduate students). Institutions may choose to include or omit programs and policies offered by smaller schools or departments within the institution.

Part 2

Report on the institution’s largest admissions group or student cohort (e.g., undergraduate students). Institutions may choose to include or omit smaller schools or departments within the institution.

For guidance in identifying low-income students, see Standards and Terms. Institutions may report graduation rates, success rates and/or combined graduation/success rates as appropriate to their particular context and types of programs offered.

Institutions may meet student financial need in a variety of ways, for example:

• Scholarships and grants
• Self-help (e.g. work study, employment)
• Tuition waivers or not requiring tuition
• Subsidized or no-interest loans
• Athletic awards

Exclude non-need-based aid, any aid awarded in excess of need, and unsubsidized or interest-bearing loans. Institutions that do not assess student need as a matter of standard practice may report the percentage of cost met, on average, for low-income students.