Westminster College officials announced today that tuition will not increase until 2013. “In this struggling economy, we want to offer assurance to all of our current students and our prospective students that Westminster is committed to keeping quality college education affordable for them,” says Westminster President Dr. George B. Forsythe. “We believe by taking this step now we are giving students the stability they need to make sound financial decisions about how they can pay for their college education. They can have every confidence that Westminster will continue to be the best choice for those who want to attend a nationally ranked college at a price they can afford. ”
Currently, tuition at Westminster is $19,750. With this decision, that rate will remain the same through the 2012-2013 academic year.
In addition, 97 percent of all Westminster students receive a solid financial aid package that makes the cost even more attractive to prospective students. The average financial aid package significantly reduces the cost of attending Westminster College.
George Wolf, Vice President and Dean of Enrollment Services, points out that even without any financial aid, Westminster tuition is already less than the average tuition for Missouri private four-year colleges and universities and more than $11,000 less than the annual national average for private four-year schools.
Rec ently, U.S.News & World Report placed Westminster among the Top 200 National Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities in America.
While most Central Missouri schools were placed in a Midwest regional ranking list, U.S.News chose to rank Westminster in comparison to the finest academic institutions in America because of its consistent reputation for academic excellence and outstanding value. “Westminster is compared among the finest national liberal arts colleges, a group that includes Albion, DePauw, Rhodes, Grinnell, and Illinois Wesleyan, due to the high quality of its academic programs and holistic approach to undergraduate success,” says Wolf.
U.S.News & World Report also ranked Westminster 4th among liberal arts colleges and universities in the nation for its number of international students in proportion to the entire student population. The diverse-rich academic community of Westminster is 16 percent international from 69 different countries.
"The college's efforts to continue to aid students and parents during these tough economic times by freezing the present level of tuition for this year and next year really proves just how invested Westminster is in continuing to help young adults succeed,” says Rachel Backes (left), a Westminster student from Tipton, MO. “With my brother here at school with me this year, I know for my family personally, this frozen tuition helps tremendously and provides more money for us in the future."
“I came to Westminster because it is a nationally known school that I can afford,” says Benjamin Jones (right) of Raymore, Missouri. “As a student who is responsible for paying for college on my own, I am excited that the college is doing what it can to control costs. In these tough economic times, it is a relief to have a more definite picture of what my financial future holds.”
“I came to Westminster because it was a nationally known school that I could afford and because it was a place where they actually cared about me and my success,” says Carl Givens (left) from Chesterfield. “We appreciate that the College realizes these are tough times for students and their families. My mother has had to shoulder the responsibility to help me get through school so this is a huge relief to both of us that I’m going to have less to pay off in student loans when I finish school and make it easier for me to transition into my first job without so much debt.”
“I decided to come to Westminster because it is a credible and very well-known school where I could excel academically and learn great leadership skills,” say Ali Veatch (right), a Westminster student from Springfield, MO. “I am fortunate enough to have parents who saved up money for my college education, but it is still very expensive. Paying for classes, room and board, and all other extra expenses that being a college student entails can add up very quickly. It is such a relief to know that next year's tuition at Westminster is going to stay the same. Since we can plan ahead, my family and I won't worry as much and the fact that the college is trying to help students in this time of economic struggle speaks volumes about how much they really care.”
Those seeking more information about Westminster College and its academic and co-curricular opportunities should visit www.westminster-mo.edu.
ATTENTION MEDIA: FOR INTERVIEWS, MORE INFORMATION, OR QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC, PLEASE CONTACT GEORGE WOLF, WESTMINSTER VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN OF ENROLLMENT SERVICES AT 573-826-1705 OR WolfG@westminster-mo.edu.