In the fall of 2027, Monmouth will introduce a new development for incoming students and their options for financial aid: Scots Pledge, which can provide full tuition depending on the needs of the student.
Stephanie Levenson, the Vice President of Enrollment Management on campus, spoke on the Scots Pledge and what it entails for the 2027 freshman class and those to follow. She explained how the new program will allow students to be awarded financial aid for full tuition, including the requirements to qualify. The incoming students must be Illinois residents and reach a GPA threshold of 3.25 on a 4.00 scale, having a household gross income of $100,000 or less, and they will need to live on campus.
Levenson described the Pledge as “a better way to communicate cost and affordability for Monmouth in ways that families can better understand.” By laying out the qualifications and options for potential students, the process of applying for and receiving financial aid will be more streamlined. “What can we do to uncomplicate a complicated process?” seems to be the foundational question behind the implementation of the Scots Pledge, in the hopes that students will not be intimidated by the initial tuition fee but rather understand there are possibilities to make Monmouth a feasible option.
“To me, the benefit is opening doors to students who may not have otherwise looked at Monmouth,” Levenson explained. The class of 2031 and those to follow will have to keep an eye out in case they qualify for the new Scots Pledge, and what doors will open if they do.