Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.85
Liaison Patrice Langevin
Submission Date Nov. 19, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Pitzer College
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.19 / 4.00 Warren Biggins
Sustainability Manager
Robert Redford Conservancy
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:

Pitzer College is committed to meeting the full demonstrated need of all admitted students; our financial aid awards do not include an unfunded gap. Our financial aid awards are composed of modest work and loan awards, and the remainder of the student’s need is met with federal, state and institutional grant assistance. Pitzer does not include unsubsidized federal loans or parent PLUS loans as part of the financial aid award, unless specifically requested by the student or parent, to ensure students are borrowing as little as necessary. All regularly admitted students receive a copy of the Federal Shopping Sheet with their financial aid award to encourage the student to compare costs at comparison schools in a uniform, and clear format.

Our use of institutional methodology collects a more comprehensive accounting of the applicant’s financial circumstances than is possible with the FAFSA application. Students are able to report both prior year and expected income, which provides household income trends that the financial aid administrator can use to better understand the family’s ability to contribute to college costs. The application also collects information about unusually high medical/dental expenses, which we take into consideration and will decrease a parent contribution when limited family resources are being directed to nondiscretionary health care costs. Further, institutional methodology accounts for a larger protection of family income for living expenses than federal methodology, and a lower family contribution towards educational costs for our highest need students.


A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:
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A brief description of any programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:
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A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (Federal/institutional Grant) – Scholarship assistance funded by Federal and Institutional contributions that are awarded to students with very high need.
Pitzer Scholarship – Need based scholarship assistance
New Resources Scholarship – Need based scholarship assistance that covers up to the full cost of tuition for students admitted through the New Resources program.
Arnoldo Rodgriguez Scholarship- Scholarship assistance for undocumented students.
Pitzker Scholarship- A $5,000 annual award granted to first year students.
MECHANISM Scholarship- Need based scholarship assistance awarded to students majoring in STEM
Rose Hills Scholarship- Need based scholarship assistance awarded to students majoring in science and math, from southern California, low income and minimum GPA of 3.5.
Yellow Ribbon Match Scholarship- Scholarship assistance for Veterans or children of Veterans who served in the military after Sept 11, 2011.
Say Yes to Education – Students who are admitted through the Say Yes program whose family income is at or below $75,000 are typically eligible to attend Pitzer College with a financial aid award that covers the full cost of tuition and fees.


A brief description of any programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:
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A brief description of any targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

Through the Pitzer Pathways Initiative, Pitzer partners with community-based organizations (CBOs) across the United States that serve first-generation, disadvantaged and nontraditional age students. Beginning in the spring of 2014, all admission counselors visit CBOs in their recruitment territories to provide college admission workshops, conduct interviews and offer tutorials on essay writing. The goal is to assist these organizations’ ability to help low-income students attend some of America’s best institutions of higher learning. Each year the Admission Office visits 25+ CBO’s across the country. Pitzer partners directly with national organizations including Say Yes, I’m First, the United World College Davis Program, Chicago Scholars, LEDA Scholars, and Horatio Alger Scholars, EMERGE, and Gates Millennium Scholars Program
Pitzer hosts the Native American Summer Pipeline to College program, which brings local Native American students to campus to interact with students, learn about the college admissions process and experience college life.


A brief description of other admissions policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

As part of our commitment to diversity and intercultural understanding, Pitzer College hosts a Fall and Spring Diversity weekend. This program is designed specifically for high school seniors from underrepresented racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds from across the United States. Each year we fund approximately 100 students for an all-inclusive, all-expense paid trip for which round-trip transportation (air, train, bus, gas/mileage reimbursement) will be covered. Attendees are hosted by current students in the residence halls and dine on campus throughout the three-day weekend. The program provides prospective students an opportunity to experience the distinct atmosphere that sets Pitzer College apart from other colleges while interacting with current students, faculty, staff and other high school seniors considering Pitzer.


A brief description of other financial aid policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

Students who receive outside scholarship from private organizations may use the awards to replace federal need based loans, work study awards and if the student has unmet federal need, replace that need to increase the overall benefit to scholarship recipients.
Student summer earnings contributions are reduced from $1550 to $900 for students who come from households with total incomes lower than $30,000.


A brief description of other policies and programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students not covered above:
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Does the institution have policies and programs in place to support non-traditional students?:
Yes

A brief description of any scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:

New Resources Scholarship
Osher Reentry Scholarship


A brief description of any onsite child care facilities, partnerships with local facilities, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:
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A brief description of other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:

Pitzer College established the New Resources Program in 1974 to bring the small, liberal arts college experience to students of non-traditional college age. The program was founded with the conviction that a truly diverse campus is one eager to encounter the added dimension brought by students of a range of ages as well as backgrounds and interests. New Resources students enroll in courses at Pitzer as well as the other Claremont Colleges. They may attend on full or part-time basis, and they are encouraged to plan their course loads with a realistic appraisal of their family and job commitments.


Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (accessibility and affordability indicators)?:
Yes

Indicators that the institution is accessible and affordable to low-income students::
Percentage (0-100)
The percentage of entering students that are low-income 14
The graduation/success rate for low-income students ---
The percentage of student financial need met, on average 100
The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt 5

The percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
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The website URL where information about the institution's affordability and access programs is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.