Aquinas College is launching The Aquinas Commitment, a signature program that will make attending Aquinas more affordable for students, help them graduate on time and lead them to discover a life of purpose and success in service to a just and sustainable world.
The Aquinas Commitment consists of three independent parts: a need guarantee, a four-year guarantee and career preparation. Qualified students can participate in one or more of the offerings.
“We know that affordability, return on investment and most importantly, inclusivity and access, are top of mind for students and their families,” President Kevin G. Quinn said. “The Aquinas Commitment offers individualized attention and careful planning so that our students can have an excellent experience from their first year through graduation.”
In September, Aquinas College was among the list of “National Liberal Arts Colleges” in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2020 rankings of the nation’s Best Colleges. Aquinas was also named in that publication as a “Top Performer on Social Mobility,” which is a new recognition of how well colleges graduated students who received federal Pell grants.
“Aquinas College is among the best places for an undergraduate education in the liberal arts,” President Quinn said. “But our mission calls us to something bigger. The experience of graduating from Aquinas College is transformative, and ultimately, that is our commitment to our students.”
“We understand how daunting the college search process can be,” said Erin Craig, vice president for enrollment management. “The Aquinas Commitment reinforces our student-centered approach and will empower those searching for a truly impactful experience. At Aquinas College, they will find an institution that turns passion into purpose.”
“The Aquinas Commitment resonates with our multifaceted mission statement and puts into action our Catholic and Dominican tradition,” Craig said. “Aquinas College is a uniquely inspirational place.”
Need Guarantee
Beginning fall semester 2020, Aquinas College will meet the full demonstrated financial need for direct costs for qualified incoming first-year undergraduate students. Those costs include tuition, room and board, and fees.
Minimum qualifications for the Aquinas Commitment need guarantee include a 3.4 high-school GPA (calculated by Aquinas) and an 1100 SAT/ACT. Students also need to be enrolled full time in a baccalaureate degree program.
Four-Year Guarantee
The Aquinas Commitment also incorporates the College’s existing Four-Year Guarantee, which launched with incoming first-year undergraduate students in fall semester 2019. The Four-Year Guarantee promises that qualified students will graduate in four years or the College will waive any additional tuition expense for up to one additional year for outstanding coursework required to graduate.
Minimum qualifications for the Four-Year Guarantee include that students need to be enrolled full time in a baccalaureate degree program, complete an average of 15 credit hours per semester, fulfill their degree and General Education requirements, and follow their four-year course of study plan.
Career Preparation
Open to all students, the AQ Advantage Center offers career services, internships, research opportunities and study away. Students who participate in one or more of these activities place at a much higher rate than those who do not. And at Aquinas, 95 percent of students are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Current Aquinas students can also benefit from parts of The Aquinas Commitment. While current students do not meet the minimum qualification of being a first-year undergraduate, nearly 99 percent of Aquinas students receive financial aid, and current students can work with the Office of Financial Aid to explore aid and funding options.
Similarly, for the Four-Year Guarantee, current students can benefit from the specific and designed academic pathways to graduation through planning with their academic advisors.