Photo courtesy of Mercersburg Academy
As educational costs at independent schools continue to rise, Mercersburg Academy (PA) is focusing on improving affordability and access. For the 2018–2019 academic year, the school will hold its tuition increase to just 1.5 percent for boarding students (compared to a 10-year average increase greater than 4 percent) and decrease tuition by 10 percent for day students.
“Mercersburg has had a long tradition of humility, coupled with a deep egalitarian spirit,” says Head of School Katherine M. Titus. “But with rising educational costs, it has become more difficult to maintain these core values from an enrollment standpoint. We are no longer going to wait for the national conversation to guide action, but instead are setting a course that recommits us to being a school that is accessible and affordable, through slowed tuition growth with increased financial aid.”
A major focus of Mercersburg’s recent Daring to Lead campaign was increasing the financial-aid resources available to students. The campaign raised $300 million, with $77 million exclusively earmarked for financial aid. Since 2007–2008, financial aid has increased 65 percent ($2,750,000). This year, the school will increase financial aid another 8 percent. A key component of this step is removing the requirement that all day students board their senior year, starting with the class of 2022.
“The practice in both higher education and independent schools has been to increase tuition freely, particularly if you are also raising financial aid,” says Quentin McDowell, assistant head of school for enrollment. “We do not believe schools should continue to raise tuition at the going rate. Instead, we are pushing back against the status quo and working to drastically slow tuition growth. Few other schools have the resources to support initiatives of this nature, but those same resources come with a sense of responsibility.”
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