Scholarships become top priority as student need grows

With the downturn in the economy, TCU has seen requests for financial aid grow exponentially. A record 1,740 freshmen will join the campus community this fall. As need has increased, scholarships have moved to the No. 1 spot on the list of The Campaign for TCU priorities.

A few numbers put student need in perspective. The annual average cost for the 2009-2010 academic year for tuition, fees, room and board, and books is $39,079. So it’s not surprising that 79 percent of all TCU students get some form of financial aid, with 66 percent receiving aid directly from the University.

The financial aid budget exceeds $75 million and has grown more rapidly than tuition in recent years. The trend is expected to continue. The University has increased financial aid for next year by 5 percent, on top of this year’s 18 percent increase, and has set aside an extra $350,000 this year to help students weather the financial downturn. Fourteen million dollars of financial aid was invested in recruiting the incoming freshman class.

Consequently, the campaign’s scholarship goal is substantial — $65 million or about one-quarter of the total $250 million goal. Thus far, $29 million has been raised.

Learn more about TCU scholarships and initiatives and their impact on students.