<p>Unlike the other schools mentioned in the article, Swarthmore still offers loan-free financial aid packages to EVERY student who qualifies for aid. My family is middle income (<100k gross) but our income has actually gone up moderately in the two years that I’ve applied for aid as a returning student. My financial aid packages? Still amazing. I’ve seen a total of less than 1k increase in expected family contribution from my freshman year to, now, my junior year. And all three years, Swarthmore has beaten FAFSA’s EFC by several thousand dollars, most likely due to information collected on their own FA forms.</p>
<p>Do I know students who couldn’t afford to come back? Yes. But the combination of their unique circumstances and the college’s financial aid policy is just that, unique. The formula hasn’t changed.</p>