Goucher College Joins SAGE Enrollment Consortium

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Oct 28, 2016, 08:35 ET

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Goucher College, perennially lauded as one of America's most innovative liberal arts colleges, has joined the SAGE Scholars Private College & University Enrollment Consortium.

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Often ranked No. 1 in the nation for study-abroad programs, Goucher is the 19th member affiliated with Colleges That Change Lives to participate in the SAGE Tuition Rewards® program. Attracting students from 44 states and 50 foreign countries, Goucher offers 60-plus study-abroad programs in 30 countries. Every undergraduate since 2006 has studied in a foreign country.

Located on a wooded, 287-acre campus eight miles north of downtown Baltimore, Goucher offers a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, with an average class size of 17. The nearly 1,500 undergrads have a choice of 33 majors. 86% of students join at least one of the 60+ clubs and activities – or play one of school's 18 NCAA Division 3 varsity sports. 78% of students complete at least one internship. One year after graduation, 100% of students report that they were either employed or attending graduate school.

Founded in 1885, Goucher has been co-ed since 1986. Goucher is the 6th Maryland private college to participate in the SAGE consortium.

26 new colleges have joined the SAGE consortium in the past 12 months, including Canisius College (NY), Linfield College (OR), Marist College (NY), Saint Martin's University (WA), University of Redlands (CA), Ursinus College (PA) and Wabash College (IN).

368 U.S. private colleges now participate in the consortium, which is a source of students for colleges in 45 states from Maine to Hawaii.

The SAGE Tuition Rewards® program strongly encourages families to save for college – and attend a private college. Financial organizations (529 Plans, banks, credit unions, employers, insurance firms, mutual funds, etc.) use the program as a value-added benefit, enabling clients and employees to earn rewards points that students can redeem for guaranteed minimum scholarships – tuition discounts – at any member college in the consortium. Rewards points are similar to frequent flyer miles and are submitted at time of application. (1 point = $1.00)

Member colleges absorb the scholarships, which are "capped" at one full year's tuition (spread evenly over four years) and can be included with other aid, as a marketing cost to effectively reach out to a wider audience than an individual college could on its own.

Participation in the SAGE program is free to families and to colleges. Consortium member colleges benefit by free marketing access to participating students (once they reach 9th grade). For colleges, it is not always easy to find families interested in private higher education. SAGE students are typically well-qualified both academically and financially.

SAGE Scholars was founded in 1995 to promote the values and affordability of private higher education by Dr. James B. Johnston, former director of admissions and financial aid at the Wharton Graduate School, University of Pennsylvania.

"Through our unique Tuition Rewards program, SAGE has brought together families, schools and investment companies for nearly two decades to create college-funding solutions," Dr. Johnston said. "SAGE membership can assist in finding desirable applicants across America."

SAGE strongly promotes its member colleges and their affordability – as well as the benefits of private higher education – to participating families.

Drexel University was the most popular member college with SAGE's 2016 seniors, receiving 238 rewards statements, correlated with applications, followed by Duquesne University (170 SAGE applicants).

Other colleges popular with SAGE students included Bradley, Clarkson, Creighton, DePaul, La Salle, Messiah, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Dayton, University of San Diego, University of Tampa, Valparaiso and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.