Geneva College commits to no tuition increases in 2014-15

BEAVER FALLS, PA (11/02/2013)(readMedia)-- President Ken Smith announced a freeze in tuition to students and their families during the college's annual Family Weekend.

On the morning of Saturday, November 2, 2013, Geneva College's President Dr. Kenneth Smith announced to a room filled with over 300 students and their family members that there will be no tuition increase for the 2014-15 academic year in any of the traditional undergraduate programs.

The result of this policy is that both new students and those continuing their Geneva College educations will pay the 2013-14 tuition rate in the upcoming academic year, effectively reducing the total price paid for a Geneva degree.

"The cost of getting a college education is becoming more burdensome and if it continues, will be a barrier to average people getting a degree – and this is something that Geneva College is deeply concerned about – and addressing. So with a commitment to making a Geneva education affordable and accessible, Geneva is freezing the cost of tuition next year," said Dr. Smith. "And this is just a beginning. Geneva is committed to holding down the cost of tuition long term and you will be hearing about more innovations and announcements in the future."

Along with the freeze in tuition, which was recently approved by the college's board of trustees, Dr. Smith also noted that there will be no reduction of available student aid in the form of Geneva scholarships and grants for the coming term.

Geneva College awards over $12 million in grants and scholarships from college funds, with over 50 percent of new students being awarded academic scholarships each year. Including federal, state and private grants, nearly 100% of Geneva College's students receive some type of Geneva aid.

Over the past 35 years, the cost of obtaining a degree has increased by 1,120 percent. And, according to The College Board®'s "Trends in College Pricing 2013," the 10-year historical rate of increase at private, nonprofit colleges is approximately five percent per year. Geneva has consistently demonstrated its ability to keep the college's yearly increases below the average increase reported by other private institutions of similar size.

Dr. Smith reminded the families on campus that Geneva has a history of making higher education accessible to the broader community, rather than just elite students. "Before it was common, Geneva was educating freed slaves and women. Geneva served local industry with night school, allowing many blue collar workers and military veterans to complete their education."

His summation was news that new and upper-class students alike welcomed: "We are committed to continuing to make a quality, Christ-centered Geneva education affordable and accessible."

Geneva College invites students to accept the challenge of an academically excellent, Christ-centered education. Offering nearly 40 undergraduate majors, Adult Degree Programs with fully online and campus-based options, and seven graduate degrees, Geneva has programs that place students at the forefront of higher learning. Adhering to the inerrancy of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God's word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today's world.