Q&A with Mike Scott and Heath Einstein
TCU’s fall 2022 enrollment is in, and the class of 2026 is incredibly academically gifted and diverse, in every sense of the word. Dean of Admission Heath Einstein joins Associate Provost for Enrollment Management Mike Scott to tell us more about the first-year class, future classes and why TCU’s commitment to increase financial aid is paramount to further expanding the university’s diversity and excellence.
Q: Tell us about the class of 2026. What do you think sets this new group of Horned Frogs apart?
Einstein: The Class of 2026 is the most academically gifted group of incoming students in TCU history. It also beautifully reflects society’s rich tapestry in terms of religious, ethnic and socio-economic diversity. There has never been a cohort of students better equipped to become tomorrow’s leaders.
Q: We know that TCU is dedicated to making TCU more accessible to students and families by growing its scholarship and financial aid opportunities. What can you tell us about the amount of aid awarded for the 2022-2023 year?
Scott: First, I think it is important to note that more than 80% of TCU students receive some type of aid, including federal, state and institutional aid. The total amount of aid TCU has administered for the 2022-2023 academic year is approximately $400 million. This is a 27% increase over what we administered three years ago. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we substantially grew our commitment to need-based funding for low-to-middle income families to assist them during crisis. Henceforth, we decided to continue our enhanced commitment to accessibility to attract and retain academically talented and a diversity of students. Much of our increase in scholarships and aid has been funded by operational adjustments across the entire campus.
Q: What are TCU’s overall goals for scholarships and financial aid? How will TCU continue to provide aid to students and families?
Scott: Student access, enrollment and retention remains a priority for TCU. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid seeks to understand and minimize financial barriers for students and to meet enrollment goals.
As we move to the future, I believe TCU will continue to reward academic achievement and offer merit-based aid, while increasing financial aid to our low-to-middle income students. One great example is the wonderful $10 million gift we received from the Harrison family. Their generosity allowed us to substantially bolster our existing commitment to middle-income students. Many of these families do not qualify for aid based on standard methodologies of determining need.
Another example is our recent partnership with Tarrant To & Through, or T3 as it’s more commonly known. That investment is providing full-tuition – and, in some cases full-ride, need-based scholarships – for students in Tarrant County. We’ve also begun offering full-ride, need-based scholarships to many Pell-eligible students from Texas and are already experiencing significant growth in this underserved population. Of course, these are just a few of the many cohorts of students that TCU values and will continue to support as we increase our commitment to scholarships and financial aid in the future.
For students considering TCU, what advice would you like to give them about applying to TCU and applying for scholarships?
Einstein: Students should plan to submit their applications in advance of the deadline to ensure all supporting credentials are received on time. As a selective institution, what we look for beyond evidence of academic preparation and potential is a desire to make meaningful connections in our community, so demonstrating that authentically in the application is important. Every student admitted to TCU is automatically considered for academic scholarships.
It is also equally important that students applying to TCU follow our step-by-step process covering what you need to do to apply for need-based financial aid. The process starts with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and The College Board CSS Profile. Information and support resources for students is easily found on our Scholarships & Financial Aid website.
Q: How does test-optional impact students applying to TCU? What should students applying in Fall 2023 know?
Einstein: We review applications holistically because more than admitting students to the classroom, we admit people to our community. Test-optional admission helps us see the entire person. While a strong score can enhance an applicant’s profile, a weak score within our applicant pool will not be held against a student. TCU’s test-optional admission policy has been extended through 2024, and you can read more about it in our Frog Blog.