Green Mountain College Announces Affordability Plan

POULTNEY, Vt., Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Green Mountain College announced today that it is enhancing its current commitment to assisting families paying for a GMC education by mounting an ambitious multi-year affordability plan. The plan addresses:  academic merit scholarships, Make-a-Difference scholarships (a scholarship program that rewards students who engage in community service projects), and need-based grants to attract the most motivated and prepared students. 

The College will implement the plan beginning this spring (January) for new students and continue with entering students in fall 2012.  All of the affordability strategies being implemented are designed to assist in lowering the average debt for all graduating students.

The affordability plan will continue to make Green Mountain a valued choice for Vermonters, students from across the U.S. and around the globe. Specifically, Green Mountain will strive to meet up to 100% of each accepted applicant's total financial need. The College will achieve this through a variety of affordability strategies designed to support the enrollment of students with a high potential of achievement.

• Academic Merit Scholarships, Make-a-Difference Scholarships and GMC need-based grants including the United Methodist Foundation http://www.greenmtn.edu/tuition_aid/scholarships.aspx
• Career-related employment options for student throughout all four years at GMC
• Green Mountain College Four-Year Graduation Guarantee http://www.greenmtn.edu/tuition_aid/scholarships.aspx
• Continuing Student Academic Merit and Make-a-Difference Scholarships
• http://www.greenmtn.edu/tuition_aid/scholarships.aspx#specialmerit
• Vermont Resident-Private/Public tuition match scholarship for Vermont residents (GMC will match the tuition levied by the University of Vermont for Vermont applicants who meet our admission standards)
• Participation in the "Yellow Ribbon Program" to help veterans afford their GMC education. 

"We're trying to make private education as affordable as possible," said Green Mountain College President Paul Fonteyn . "We'd like applicants to know they have the option of attending a small private institution with the advantages of small classes and strong student advising and that opportunity is not out of reach financially."

Green Mountain College is able to award scholarships/grants in an amount exceeding 7.3 million dollars through a combination of institutional discounting and endowment scholarship funds.  Currently 94% of all GMC students receive financial aid, with over 90% receiving institutional support, to help offset the cost of their college education.  Approximately a quarter of GMC students are the first in their family to attend college or university.

Green Mountain College offers 23 degree programs. The College was named Sierra magazine's "Coolest School" in 2010 for its environmental initiatives and finished second on the Sierra's rankings this year. Earlier this year, Green Mountain was rated among the most environmentally responsible schools in the country by The Princeton Review in its 2011 Guide to 311 Green Colleges.

SOURCE Green Mountain College

RELATED LINKS
http://www.greenmtn.edu