William Jewell announces new lower tuition price for fall 2021

[Liberty, Mo.] Understanding the true cost for higher education can be a challenge, and William Jewell wants to do its part to change that.

Due to perceptions like high tuition cost, challenging admission processes and concern about long-term debt, many prospective students falsely believe private colleges like Jewell are out of their reach, yet very few students pay the published price. William Jewell, along with many private colleges across the country, offers generous merit scholarships, grants and financial aid that significantly reduce the actual tuition paid.

Jewell chose to reconcile the gap between sticker price and real price. Beginning fall 2021, William Jewell’s “Opportunity without Barriers” plan includes a new tuition price of $18,360, significantly reducing the current tuition sticker price of $33,500. This new price reflects what the majority of families now pay after Jewell applies merit- and need-based aid.

“At William Jewell, we believe critical thinking should have no borders, boundaries or barriers to entry. And we believe the high-tuition high-discount rate model is a significant barrier,” said Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls, William Jewell College president. “This tuition pricing clarity is more than a response to perceived tuition costs: It is a demonstration of our resolve and commitment to extend an accessible, equitable and inclusive education to more students and their families who right now do not see an attainable path to William Jewell or other higher education institutions.”

The college announces several initiatives to create more opportunity:

• Housing cost reductions are being applied to generate choice equity among all students and further lower direct costs
• More athletic opportunities, expanding to 24 varsity sports including men’s and women’s wrestling and powerlifting
• Starting with applications for the 2021-2022 academic year, Jewell will eliminate standardized test scores as a requirement for acceptance (except for some distinct programs), launching a new holistic admission review process to empower both equity and selectivity
• Increased need-based access grants and scholarships, and the new Shape the Future Grant for underrepresented students
• Continue to offer a four-year graduation guarantee
• Offer three-year accelerated degrees

William Jewell has seen recent enrollment growth, up 3% in total enrollment this year and up 12% in the first-year class. The entering class of fall 2020 is the most diverse class in Jewell’s history. Critical thinking is at the core of the William Jewell curriculum. It is a way of thinking, learning and

living that unlocks human understanding and prepares every student to find common ground and to work together for common good. Jewell is widening the circle to invite new diverse perspectives to find pathways to William Jewell, all with a goal of welcoming critical thinkers in-the-making.

Contact:

Cara Dahlor, Marketing
816-415-5223
dahlorc@william.jewell.edu