Preparing for college can be an exciting—and anxious—time for parents as well as prospective students. You want to be sure your son or daughter joins a campus community that appreciates each person's individuality and provides a nurturing environment. You want to be sure your student is well prepared for a career after college. And you may have concerns about how to pay for it all.
What Our Students Tell Us
First, a few words about what our students say about their experience at Green Mountain College. Students tell us their professors at GMC are more than just teachers—they are role models, mentors, and guides for continuous, life-long learning. Students also say they feel intensively involved in their education at GMC. They collaborate with each other in solving problems, and grapple with real-world issues in preparation for challenges they will encounter in life after college. How do we know? This data is all reflected in the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the most comprehensive assessment of effective practices in higher education. See how GMC stacks up against other schools in five major areas of academic success.
Making College Affordable
Here's what we're doing to make a Green Mountain College education affordable. First, we've adjusted financial aid to reflect recent economic challenges that have hit families. Nationally, in 2007-08, the average undergraduate received an average of $8,896 in financial aid. Of this amount $4,656 was grant money (not loans). GMC's average grant for aided incoming freshman was $11,262—more than double the national average. Increases in institutional aid planned for 2009-10 will more than offset increases in the cost of attendance.
Second, we're committed to keeping tuition as low as possible. GMC's tuition actually declined in real dollars this year (our 4.9% increase for the 08/09 academic year was less than the 5.6% increase in the Consumer Price Index). This compares favorably with the average increase of 5.9% for other private four year colleges. Finally, our faculty and advising staff work close together to ensure your son or daughter is on track to graduate within four years. Without this proactive guidance, many students at other institutions end up needing a fifth year, or more, in order to complete course requirements.
Our admissions and financial aid offices will work with you every step of the way to help demystify the world of student loans and external scholarships and provide you with resources for covering costs at GMC. Don't hesitate to give us a call!
After GMC
Our students go into the world richly informed about the most pressing issues society faces today. They know what it takes to lead and they're hungry for a chance to change the world. Those are attractive traits for employers and graduate programs. Because we focus on one-on-one interaction with faculty, students leave with recommendations from professors who know their students' strengths and care about their post-graduate success. Take a look at what our most recent grads are doing now.
