Cornell College addressing sticker shock with ‘Tuition Zero’

Although Cornell College raised its tuition this year to $51,970, none of its students pay the full sticker price — and the Mount Vernon college is making its generous financial aid practices more clear through a new “Tuition Zero” initiative.

The program “takes the worry out of college tuition” for any instate student who qualifies for the Iowa Tuition Grant — a Legislature-supported grant available exclusively to Iowa students attending a private college or university in the state.

To capitalize on the offering, a prospective student would need to apply to Cornell, receive an admission offer and fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. If he or she qualifies for the Iowa Tuition Grant — awarded to Iowans with a household income under $100,000 — the student would qualify for Cornell’s Tuition Zero program.

“When a student qualifies for the (Iowa Tuition Grant), Cornell meets the remainder of their tuition need,” according to a news release on the program.

Cornell will cover qualifying students’ tuition expenses through a mash up of scholarships, including the Iowa Tuition Grant; the federal Pell Grant, if possible; its own institutional “Iowa Promise” merit scholarship; and an additional institutional Cornell grant, if necessary.

The college already shaves a lot off its sticker price — reporting 100 percent of its students receive some type of aid and that all first-year full-time instate students who live on campus qualify to get at least $35,000 through its “Iowa Promise” program, which is renewable for up to four years.

To land the new Tuition Zero commitment, an Iowa Tuition Grant-qualifying full-time first-year residential student would just need to commit to Cornell with an admission deposit. The Tuition Zero award will renew at the “same rate” annually for up to four years — so long as he or she stays a full-time residential student in good academic standing.

That means the award wouldn’t cover the full tuition if Cornell increases rates in subsequent years, although a student might be able to get more through the Iowa Tuition Grant or Pell program.

“We want to make it easier for families to see that a private college education is possible,” said Cornell College Director of Admissions Drew Shradel.

‘Weight lifted’

Cornell’s tuition and fees have increased 20 percent over five years from $43,976 in the 2019-2020 academic year to $52,660 for both this year — although, given every student gets some form of aid, the average net price to attend has hovered around $25,000, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

That net price includes tuition and fees, books and supplies and average room and board costs.

With help from Cornell’s Tuition Zero program, that net cost that the students in the program would pay drops to $16,630 — including fees, housing and dining.

Iowa’s Board of Regents in its most recent financial aid report showed an average net price of $17,176 across its three public universities — with $19,587 at the University of Iowa; $16,158 at Iowa State University; and $15,782 at the University of Northern Iowa. Those numbers calculate awarded scholarships — which, for the public universities, largely come from the institutions themselves, given their students aren’t eligible for the Iowa Tuition Grant.

That grant — exclusive to Iowa residents enrolled at a private college or university — is supported by a state appropriation for the current budget year of $52.7 million, representing a $1.3 million increase from last year.

For the 2023 budget year, 21,895 students attending a not-for-profit private college or university in Iowa applied for the Iowa Tuition Grant, and 8,151 received an award — totaling $49.7 million in awards at an average $6,098 per recipient, according to Iowa College Aid.

In a soft launch of its Tuition Zero program this year, 42 of Cornell’s 326 first-year and transfer students qualified for the Iowa Tuition Grant and, in turn, the new program. That includes Ravyn Dittmar, an 18-year-old freshman from Van Horne who is taking advantage of the aid.

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“It was amazing,” she said about learning Cornell would bring her tuition down to zero. “I felt like there was a weight lifted off of my shoulders when I found out. It just made everything a lot easier.”

She and her dad had planned to take out loans to get Dittmar a psychology degree — in hopes she one day can work as a counselor or therapist, supporting the mental health of teenagers and children.

“When I found out that I was getting this opportunity, it just made it a whole lot easier for me to go on with my goal of helping other people,” she said. “With how much less I have to pay from Tuition Zero, it’s also making it easier for me to go on and get my master’s (degree).”

Cornell officials said they expect this program will remain available to incoming students for the foreseeable future.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com