Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible grant leads to record-breaking enrollment

Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø announces a record-setting student recruitment, driven in part by the great success of the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible grant, which will go to 183 incoming first-year students who will enroll this fall. 

Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible is an innovative program that meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for high-achieving students with financial need, based on the FAFSA or Illinois Alternative Application for Financial Aid. The program removes financial barriers for deserving students to attend Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø, and many grant recipients are the first in their families to attend college.

The Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible awards will be funded over the course of a number of years by an $80 million increase to the college¡¯s endowment, with funds coming from a commitment from Murry Gerber ¡®75 and a dollar-for-dollar matching gift challenge.

Gerber, who was a first-generation college student, said ¡°Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s core capability has been to lift those most in need and, importantly, to support students and families navigating the complexity and benefits of achieving a college education.¡± 

¡°Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø has always excelled in surrounding students with support,¡± he said. ¡°The problem recently has been an expansion of the financial gap between the cost of what we uniquely provide and the financial resources available to those who desire the experience. Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible closes that gap.¡± 

The grant has spurred the college¡¯s largest applicant pool and largest first-year cohort in the school¡¯s 163-year history, with 590 domestic (U.S.) students and 265 international students who have committed to attending this fall. In all, the college attracted an unprecedented 8,000 applicants for admission for the 2023-2024 school year.

Launched in 2022, the Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible matching initiative has raised donations of $17.2 million, including $10.6 million from Gerber and $7.1 million from other alumni and donors.

¡°Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø is an engine for student transformation, and I am honored that we are receiving support to accelerate that important work and, in turn, supporting high-achieving students who carry on the great tradition of Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø alumni who make a difference,¡± said Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø President Andrea Talentino.

¡°People are saying Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible is a ¡®game changer.¡¯ I see that,¡± Talentino continued. ¡°This program will change the lives of students who get the benefit of an Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø education, and at the same time, we can¡¯t forget how it fueled admissions this cycle.¡±

Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible awardees by the numbers

• 183 incoming first-year students have been awarded the grant and have committed to attending Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø. This more than doubles the original projections of awarding the grant to 75 first-year Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible students.
• 49% of eligible Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible applicants are students of color, compared to approximately 38% of the overall admitted student pool, supporting Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø¡¯s diversity, equity and inclusion goals. 
• 51 recipients, or 28% of all recipients, are first-generation college students. 
• Recipients will join Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø from 10 states: California, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Texas, Georgia, Iowa and Illinois.
• The average re-calculated grade point average for committed Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible students is 3.68, with these students ranking in the top 12.4% of their high school class.
• The average Å·ÖÞ±­ÍøͶ_Å·ÖÞ±­ÍâΧapp-Ͷע¹ÙÍø Possible grant is $6,234.