Learn More, Earn More, Spend Less

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is Hiram College doing this?

  Many families look at the published prices for college and immediately wonder “how will we ever afford this?” Meanwhile, private colleges almost always provide lots of financial aid, called “discounts,” to bring the final out-of-pocket cost way down. Unfortunately, the list price prompts too many families to eliminate respected schools like Hiram before they even see their financial aid award. These families get frightened away by a perceived cost that is not even close to what they would have paid.

  To eliminate the “sticker shock” that discourages students from learning more about its excellent educational experience, Hiram has created a whole new tuition model. The new model is a lower price/lower discount one that includes free summer courses and increased opportunities for paid internships and research projects. It is designed to capture the attention of students from all socio-economic backgrounds: making Hiram immediately attractive both to students who have significant financial need and to those who qualify for less “need-based” aid. We expect the new tuition model will motivate students from all income levels to apply to Hiram, review their individualized financial aid packages, enroll, and graduate—in four years or less!

• How will students benefit?

  There are at least four ways the model helps students learn more, earn more, and spend less.

  1. You can learn more by enrolling in courses year round—take a fun class you always wanted, a hard class that needs your undivided attention, or even add a minor now that you can enroll in two free courses each summer!
  2. You can earn more money and more credits at the same time if you apply for and are granted one of our paid summer internships or research projects.
  3. Our new tuition price ($24,500 before financial aid) makes us one of the best-priced four-year private colleges within and beyond Ohio. This means students are likely to spend less on tuition here than elsewhere.
  4. We have eliminated mandatory fees, and we know that “zero” is definitely less than the mandatory fees charged at other institutions. You’ll spend less on mandatory fees here than almost anywhere else!
• Who is eligible to benefit from Learn More, Earn More, Spend Less model?

  The new tuition price will be in place for all Traditional College students – new or returning – in Fall 2020. Please note that all students are still eligible for federal, state, and institution-based financial aid that will typically bring their out-of-pocket cost down well below the published tuition price of $24,500.

  Free summer courses will begin in Summer 2020, and paid internships will be available by then as well.

  The new model does not apply to the Hiram Complete program at Community College partner sites, the Weekend College, online programs, or our MAIS programs. These programs are already very competitively priced!

• What makes this a big deal?

  We believe Hiram’s Learn More, Earn More, Spend Less model is a one of a kind. We have created a new model for most Hiram students that:

  • Reduces price
  • Eliminates mandatory fees
  • Provides free summer classes
  • Connects students with paid internships and research opportunities

  This combination constitutes a fundamental change in the college pricing model and puts Hiram in a whole new league. Hiram’s new model makes a bold move that benefits students both financially and academically. Helping students save money is important, but helping them save money and learn more sets Hiram apart from all other institutions we have studied during this process.

• How is Hiram able to do this?

  According to NACUBO (National Association for College and University Business Officers), the average discount level for private colleges across the country has crossed the 50% mark. What does this mean? On most campuses, the average student pays less than 50% of the published cost of tuition.

  Hiram can lower its published tuition price and fee price by $13,210 because very few students pay the full price. Until now, Hiram relied on a high price/ high discount model where a college publishes a high tuition cost and then “discounts” it considerably through internal aid that goes to students in the forms of grants and scholarships. The net tuition paid to the College will not change, so this new price will not affect the College’s revenues on a student-by-student basis. It will, however, increase aggregate net tuition revenue as it attracts more students to enroll.

  At Hiram and elsewhere, there are often few, if any, set-aside dollars behind this financial aid. Many of these “scholarships” or “discount rates” are supported from the college’s bottom line. This is not a tenable model. Forward-thinking colleges will need to move away from it sooner rather than later. The Learn More, Earn More, Spend Less initiative gets Hiram away from the high price/high discount model that has become the norm in private education for the last 25 or more years.

• How will Hiram College benefit?

  As Hiram attracts and serves more students, we will offer more programs, build new facilities, and continuously improve the Hiram experience. We expect our new tuition model to increase the number of students who consider Hiram and go on to apply, enroll, and graduate. The bigger and more diverse Hiram’s community becomes, the richer and more valuable its educational experience and degrees will be.

• What results do you expect to see?
  1. More students will understand that they have access to Hiram’s excellent educational experience and apply to Hiram. As more students apply and enroll, the campus community grows, and opportunities to learn, grow with it.
  2. We expect the model to garner the attention of families of all income levels who want their sons or daughters to earn a degree from a top-notch private college. Families with greater need will have federal, state, and institutional aid cover a higher proportion of the new, lower cost. Families with greater capacity who are in position to pay full or near full costs now have a lower cost to cover.
  3. We expect students will persist to their degrees at an even higher rate as they enjoy free summer courses and new opportunities for career-oriented internships and research, adding immense value to their already excellent educations.
  4. We expect some students will finish their degrees even faster than the usual four years – allowing them to explore career or graduate school options that much sooner.
• How else has Hiram innovated over time to benefit students?

  This Learn More, Earn More, Spend Less model is just the latest in a long history of innovation and educational excellence at Hiram.

  In 1934, Hiram was one of the only institutions in the country to offer its courses in a one-at-a-time format, every seven weeks. In 1994, after many years on the quarter calendar, it redesigned the 15-week semester into 12/3 format that exists today, bringing back that opportunity for intensive study. Students take three classes in the fall and spring 12-week term, enjoy a short break, and then enroll in a single course to study exclusively for the last three weeks of the semester. On other fronts, in 1977, Hiram established its Weekend College for adults, the first of its kind in Ohio and one of the first across the Midwest. And most recently, Hiram has earned national acclaim for its New Liberal Arts, which adds career-oriented majors to its liberal arts offerings, provides an immersive first-year experience, delivers a broad array of hands-on learning experiences, and teaches students how to use technology in academically and personally purposeful ways.

  These latest changes have been strongly supported by Hiram alumni, trustees, and friends. Just last year, in 2018-19, Hiram College logged in its most successful fundraising year in the College’s 170-year history—raising almost 10.3 million dollars. The people who make these gifts to Hiram tell us, “Keep growing, keep educating, keep serving students like you did for us!” This new tuition model will pave the ways for today’s students to walk a similar pathway to success.

  Hiram is constantly seeking ways to better serve its students. As mentioned above, we have a rich history of graduating students who contribute to society in important ways, prosper in their careers, and become lifelong learners. It is our responsibility to meet those students’ needs however we can – and this model continues to deliver what they need, when they need it, and at a price they can understand and afford.

  The 2019 edition of Washington Monthly’s College Guide and Rankings has listed Hiram College as number four in the country among colleges and universities that award bachelor’s degrees almost exclusively. Rankings consist of three equally weighted portions: social mobility, research, and promoting public service. To be considered a top-ranked institution, colleges must be excellent across all measures rather than excelling in just one. Hiram’s new tuition model  makes this nationally recognized education better accessible to more students.

  Hiram was also just ranked number 14 among Midwest Regional Colleges in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges rankings. The Midwest Regional category includes institutions from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Additionally, the College ranked fifth among Midwest Regional Colleges for social mobility, a ranking that measures graduation rates of Pell-awarded students and sixth for Best Value, a category that looks at both academic quality and cost of education.