How to attend an Ivy League School for Free

There have been many articles written about universities with zero tuition. But have you ever wanted to go to an Ivy League College, and pay nothing? The first thing to remember is that it is quite tough to get into an Ivy league school , since their acceptance rates can be as low as 6% [1] . Secondly, it should be remembered that tuition-free education does not mean that room and board are paid for. This will still be the parent’s or student’s responsibility in some cases. Ivy League schools are offering this to lower income families as a means to jettison the perception that they cater only to children of the elite. Also, there is an increase push to increase diversity, which includes socioeconomic diversity. Lastly it should be noted that these universities have the ability to be this generous thanks to their sizable endowments, which are as much as $32 billion (Harvard) [2].

The following is information about eight Ivy Leagues (and Stanford) :

Yale University: According to the school’s site, families who earn less than $65,000 can benefit by having no “family contributions towards education”. But with an acceptance rate of 6.26% it can be hard to get in. [3]

Stanford University: While not technically an Ivy League school, it is interesting to note. The school’s website indicates that there is no expectation of any family contribution towards tuition if a family makes below $125,000. If a family makes below $65,000, the family will not have to pay for room and board either. [4]

Princeton University: Like Stanford University, tuition is waived if you make less than $120,000 as a family. Tuition and room/board costs are waived if you make less than $60,000. You will have to work hard, since their acceptance rate is 6.99%. [5]

Dartmouth University: If you and your spouse make less than $100,000 a year, you can attend without paying tuition. With 10.3% acceptance rate, it may be (relatively) easier to get in. [6]

UPenn: Earn less than $40,000 a year, then you can get in for free, you will still have to pay for your room. Acceptance rate 9.9% [7]

Harvard University: Harvard’s policy is different. It will allow student’s whose families to obtain free tuition, but it will also allow student’s whose families earning $65,000 to $150,000, to pay on a graduate scale depending on their individual situations. Harvard’s acceptance rate is at 5.3%. This makes it one of the most selective universities in the country. [8]

Brown University: Brown accepts less than 8.5 % of applicants and will allow them to attend tuition-free their family earns less than $60,000 a year. [9]

Cornell University: Cornell has the highest admissions rate for all the Ivy League schools at 14.9%, and they ask you to pay nothing if you earn less than $60,000. [10]

It is important to note that all student should attend a university that is a good for fit for them. But knowing that if you have the ability, an Ivy League education is not out of reach

References:

[1] http://www.businessinsider.com/ivy-league-acceptance-class-of-2019-2015-3

[2] http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eeik45eljd/1-harvard-university/

[3] http://admissions.yale.edu/financial-aid-prospective-students

[4] http://engage.stanford.edu/stanford-offers-admission-to-2144-students-expands-financial-aid-program/

[5] http://www.princeton.edu/pr/aid/pdf/1314/PU-Making-It-Possible.pdf

[6] http://admissions.dartmouth.edu/financial-aid/how-aid-works/how-much-help-will-i-get

[7] http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/news/penn-announces-2014-15-financial-aid-budget-tuition

[8] http://www.harvard.edu/harvard-glance

[9] http://www.brown.edu/about/administration/financial-aid/general-questions

[10] http://www.finaid.cornell.edu/cost-attend/financial-aid-initiatives