A 2001 nationwide report by the nonpartisan National Center for Public Policy has established what most college students and parents have been saying for awhile: Higher education is just too expensive. The report focused on a state-by-state comparison of college affordability (among other categories) by comparing the 2000 statistics with those of 2002. The report also noted the trend of large gaps among income groups in their ability to pay for college. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated similar findings, using more quantitative means. According to its report, the tuition component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen by 8 percent per year from 1979 to 2001. If the trend continues, children born today will face college costs three to four times greater than current prices. The report concludes that on average, parents should expect to pay two-thirds of college costs through savings, current income and loans.

Brandeis' full tuition of $27,344 is on par with the cost of private universities similar to Brandeis, thereby deemed "too expensive" by recent reports. But, while Brandeis maintains the "steep" fiscal requirement, Director of Financial Aid Peter M. Giumette said the University provides both current and incoming students with lenient and individual monetary assistance.

Giumette said 64 percent of undergraduates have some sort of Brandeis funded financial aid, and an additional 16 percent receive outside assistance such as private or federal student loans.

He also said 20 percent of the Class of 2006 receives some form of a merit-based scholarship, ranging anywhere from $5,000 to $27,000. The Justice Brandeis and Presidential scholarships currently $27,000 and $20,000, respectively were granted to 5 percent of that class. Compared with the 20 percent of scholarship recipients, grants were allotted to 45 percent of the incoming class, with value ranging from $2,000 to $24,000 .

According to Giumette, the relationship between the scholarship and grant component of a financial aid package is one that benefits the individual student, partially because the two components are mutually exclusive. "If you are better qualified for a scholarship than a grant, then a large scholarship will be more advantageous then a smaller grant, and will be awarded accordingly," Giumette said.

Some students resent the method of grant and scholarship allotment, deeming it unfair. "I know people with much lower grades than I had who got in with a lot more money," Anna Pikovsky '05 said. Sharon Bielik '06 who received only loans, said her parents were satisfied with the package.

Giumette explained the process by which students receive aid and how much he or she receives. "The level of necessity determines how much aid is given," Giumette said. To the extent that a student's situation will allow, Giumette said Brandeis tries to provide a financial aid package as comprehensive and reasonable and possible. The word "reasonable," he said, implies that along with the availability of funds, the eligibility of an applicant is a significant factor in their final financial aid package. Some students expressed dissatisfaction with criterion by which eligibility is measured. Marli Mesibov said she felt cheated "because they go by parents' financial need and not the student's."

When a student initiates a re-working of their financial aid by appealing for more money, Giumette said he would like to provide more student loans and increase grants, but only if it is necessary. "Some students appeal to us with no change of circumstance," Giumette said. "They feel they just need more money, in which case we refer them to private loan programs."

For those whose eligibility increases, financial aid in the form of grants can be another option for assistance. This is also applicable to students whose change of circumstance leaves them with a greater source or availability of income. A student whose siblings leave or graduate college while they are in Brandeis is given less of a priority for financial aid. "What was contributed to his siblings for their college tuition can now be spent on the student," Giumette said.

According to Giumette, awarded scholarships do not mimic the flexibility of grants. Unlike grants, he said, a scholarship is only offered upon the student's enrollment. While it does not increase proportionally to performance during the subsequent school years, it can be diminished if a stipulated grade point average is not maintained. Giumette added that the financial aid office has considered revising scholarships for upperclass students, but due to the University's budget constraints, no further efforts have been made.

Despite the attempts to accommodate every student within reasonable means (as defined by the budget and their eligibility), Giumette said a family's means are difficult to predict. "Some reasons for not coming to Brandeis may be not being able to afford it," Giumette said. "Even if we give substantial aid, it may not be enough to equalize expenses. Some families that we think can afford it, can't and those who we know will have problems manage to pull it off."

One of the variables in a family's ability to manage, Giumette said, is the recent decline in the economy. He said the appeal for greater aid has increased within the last nine months, and added that Sept. 11 and the decline of the stock market. have exacerbated the situation.

In addition to affecting students, Giumette said the turbulence of the economy has similarly affected Brandeis itself. "Earnings from endowment is certainly down from the year before," Giumette said, adding this "will impact both the amount and the source of money for financial aid." Despite economic setbacks, Giumette said Brandeis will continue a financial aid program "as lenient as our budget will allow."

Giumette said the "budget for financial slightly increased over the last year, even though all these factors are working against it." While this can be attributed to sound financial distribution and variable sources of funds, the budget increase is also a result of Brandeis' eagerness to remain a competitive contender in student recruitment. "In order to attract the students we want, we have to be competitive,"Giumette said. "We could not offer a lot less than students need and still get the classes we want." Giumette added, "if we were too cheap or try to pull a fast one on people, we'd have a high attrition rate."

Iska Blusztajn '05 said that for her, this policy has been a success. When asked to describe her financial aid package, she said "it doesn't cover nearly enough," but added, "Brandeis gave me more money than any other college. That's pretty much why I came here.