College unveils new tuition model

By: Andrew Mees, Director of Institutional Communications and Campaign Marketing                          communications@bloomfield.edu

For the 2015/2016 academic year, Bloomfield College will provide its students with an open and transparent way to join the campus community and write their own stories.

The College will eliminate its comprehensive fee (formally $1,200 per year for full-time students) and all course fees (fees added based on individual courses) and combine all charges into one rate, becoming the first institution in New Jersey to convert to a tuition-only model.

Bloomfield has long been committed to offering a quality private education, with the institution offering the lowest tuition among New Jersey independent colleges and universities. That commitment will be further enhanced by the transparency provided in the new model, which combines all fees to make the total cost of attendance apparent to parents and students and eliminate any “surprises” when they enroll.

The total cost of attendance in the new pricing structure will still place Bloomfield under the tuition-only costs of all private institutions in New Jersey, maintaining its goal of providing affordability and access in higher education.

“Bloomfield College’s initiative in providing the most informative and straightforward cost information is a further testament to the institution’s determination to make attendance affordable and promote access to students of modest economic means to a four-year institution of higher education,” said College President Richard Levao.

The topics of college affordability and cost transparency have moved to the forefront of a national debate on the financial impact an investment in education can elicit. Responding to the needs and wishes of its student body, Bloomfield’s transition to a one-charge model will allow its population of 2,000 students to better plan for the year ahead while providing the piece of mind to know their bill will not change based on the classes they take.   

“I believe this new tuition model clearly demonstrates our commitment to our students and makes Bloomfield College a leader in the national push to make a quality college education more affordable and transparent,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Adam Castro. “Our students deserve this type of honest, straight-forward cost structure as they make the most important investment of their lives.”

A student-centered approach is at the heart of Bloomfield’s mission. With 99% of students receiving financial aid and 98% receiving scholarships from the institution, the College has remained dedicated to not only providing its students with the tools needed to achieve success, but to providing the financial assistance and education needed to make the dream of a college degree a reality. The full-time tuition rate for the 2015 – 2016 academic year will be $27,800.

"As a student who worked closely with the Board of Trustees committees, it's exciting to see this new tuition model finally coming to pass,” said senior Tysha Crosby-Washington. “Because of the new model, managing how to finance a student's education will be a breeze. People don't like hidden fees and costs, like banks and credit card companies use. With this clear understanding of the price for a student's education, the worry of coming to campus ready for school and soon after feeling disappointed because they can't attend class due to unpaid fees can be avoided. This gives a whole new meaning to the college seeing us as students and not as consumers."

“Moving to a one-cost, transparent tuition model was a student-driven decision,” said Castro. “We know that every dollar counts and financial planning is essential to our students’ success. When we have the opportunity to remove financial roadblocks for our students, I think we have to do it.”

Students can apply online at http://bloomfield.edu/apply.  To learn more about available scholarship opportunities at Bloomfield College, visit bloomfield.edu/admission/scholarships

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