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Kiplinger’s Personal Finance list ranked Hillsdale No. 1 as the best value institution in Michigan.
For the seventh consecutive year, Hillsdale College ranked the best college value in the state of Michigan by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance list.
This is also the eighth year in a row that Hillsdale has earned a spot as one of the best valued liberal arts schools in the entire country at No. 21 of 100.
“We need to charge more,” College President Larry Arnn said.
“We are proud to be able to sustain an excellent college that pursues education in a way established in time and suited to nature. And we’re proud to do it at cost economical to the students,” Arnn said.
Unlike many other schools in the country, which have raised tuition costs by an average of five percent over the last ten years, Hillsdale has only raised tuition by 3.4 percent.
College Provost David Whalen emphasized how Hillsdale’s financial aid programs enable the school to extend liberal education to students who could not afford it at other universities.
“The college strains mightily to remain affordable because our mission is to educate students in essential things, not pursue prestige via high sticker prices,” Whalen said.
“True, the cost of educating each student far outstrips tuition, but we rely on the help of our graduates and many others to keep tuition and student debt low,” he said.
Many students, such as freshman Andres Torres, could not afford an education at a similar but more expensive institution.
“With two older siblings who attended college, I needed financial aid for my family to afford my education without incurring too much debt,” Torres said. “Without Hillsdale’s financial aid, I couldn’t afford to go to college.”
More than 92 percent of students receive some form of aid, totaling more than $22 million in the 2014-2015 academic year.
On top of that, Hillsdale College provides full scholarships for U.S. military veterans.
“Hillsdale’s approach connects students to funding their education more effectively and develop relationships with those who made their education possible: our donors,” Director of Financial Aid Rich Moeggenberg said.
Hillsdale College does not accept government funding and therefore finds funding primarily through generous donations from friends of the college.
Many donors attend on-campus events, such as the upcoming Center for Constructive Alternatives on “The Art of the Biography.” Students often express their gratitude to their sponsors at these gatherings.
“It is a great blessing to attend a first-class institution at a much lower price than comparable colleges,” freshman Tom Ryskamp said. “I am grateful to those who have donated money so that it is possible for more people to attend this great school.”