The University announced Thursday that it will expand its Baltimore Scholars program to offer full-ride scholarships to Baltimore City public high school students.
The program, established in 2004, offered full-tuition scholarships to high school students who had lived in Baltimore and attended a local public school for at least three years who apply and are accepted to Hopkins. Under the new two-tier system, scholarships will cover room and board and fees in addition to tuition for students with family incomes of $80,000 or less.
For students with family incomes between $80,000 and $150,000, the contribution by the family will be capped at 10 percent of their income, and students will receive a loan-free financial aid package.”
“The changes to our Baltimore Scholars program will help us attract talented local students by making Johns Hopkins truly affordable,” President Ronald J. Daniels said. “This program adds to an array of investments we have made in Baltimore schools and to our abiding commitment to Baltimore’s students.”
Members of the Class of 2020 will be the first students eligible for the new full-ride scholarships. Baltimore Scholars currently attending Hopkins will also receive significantly more aid depending on their families’ incomes.
In order to compensate for offering more significant aid, the program will limit the number of students considered. Students will family incomes over $150,000 will no longer be eligible for scholarships, though they will be considered for standard University financial aid.
Current high school seniors with family income over $150,000 will be grandfathered into the full-tuition program.
The University decided to change its scholarship program to meet the needs of talented students who need more substantial financial assistance that was previously offered.
“Recognizing high-potential students from the communities around Johns Hopkins campuses, it has attracted more than 180 of the city’s brightest young scholars to its Homewood schools and the Peabody Institute. The changes respond to concerns from students, alumni and local supporters that the current program was not meeting the needs of academically talented students with the greatest financial need,” the press release stated.
Vice Provost for Admission and Financial Aid David Phillips elaborated on the decision.
“We want to make sure that financial considerations do not factor into the decision to attend Johns Hopkins,” Phillips said. “This program strengthens our investment in students with the greatest need.”
The new scholarships will also offer recipients unique opportunities.
“Opportunities like paid internships, peer and faculty mentoring, career networking and connections with alumni will enhance the undergraduate experience throughout a scholar’s four years at Johns Hopkins. Scholars will also have access to specialized programming — dinners with deans and senior faculty and administrators, lecture series and scholar retreats — as well as supplemental funds for internship, research and study abroad opportunities,” the press release stated.
The University has put $11.6 million into the program in the past five years and plans to spend $20 million in the next five.
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