Harding University is promising to fund the unmet financial need of all incoming freshmen this fall, in light of the struggling economy.
Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Glenn Dillard said Thursday that the Searcy-based private school is using $800,000 in private money to offer extra financial aid to about 300 of the school’s 1,100 incoming freshmen.
The average dollar amount is about $2,800 per student and reaches as high as $7,000 for some students.
It’s enough to cover the direct cost of attendance for all incoming freshmen, after factoring in a manageable family contribution, other financial aid and work study.
Dillard said Harding has never before been able to meet the financial need of all its incoming freshmen. With the school’s cost of attendance at $17,983 per year, that has meant some students haven’t been able to register.
“The bottom line is for those families who say, ‘I’d love to come to Harding if I could find a way to pay for it,’ that’s what this is going to do,” Dillard said.
Dillard said it’s not clear whether the school can afford to continue or expand the program next year.
The Christian liberal arts school has about 6,510 students. It has 10 new National Merit Scholars enrolled this year, more than any other private university in the state. For more information, contact Dillard at gdillard@harding.edu.
