When you break it down, the approximate cost of attending SMU can total anywhere from $40,000 to $50,000. Tuition alone accounts for $31,200, but add room and board, books, student fees, a meal plan and other necessary costs and the total price tag quickly adds up.
However, despite the recent economic recession, students continue to flock to the grassy Hilltop. Whether they are graduating from a high school in San Antonio or just across the street in Highland Park, more and more in-state students are seeking financial aid to attend SMU.
But with the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant Program now in effect, more and more students are taking advantage of another form of financial aid.
“I didn’t know anything about it until after I applied for my Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said senior George Enriquez. “The information was included in my financial aid package from SMU. I didn’t really know how much it helped until I got involved with the lobbying part of it.”
Enriquez was one of four students to travel to Austin to lobby for the Texas TEG Program. Along with advisor Fernando Salazar, the students interacted with state representatives and senators to personally thank them for their work in supporting the program.
“It was a great learning experience,” Enriquez said. “It was nice to get in on all of the hustle and bustle that goes on at the Capitol. We got to thank a lot of people and show our appreciation for the Texas Equalization Grant. It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved, both the students and the state.”
The Texas Tuition Equalization Grant Program’s goal is “to provide grant aid to financially needy students to enable them to attend private, non-profit colleges or universities in Texas.”
To be eligible for the Texas TEG Program, applicants must be Texas residents attending a private or non-profit college or university in the state of Texas, according to the College for All Texans Web site. Along with demonstrating financial need, students may not already be receiving athletic scholarships or be studying in a religious or theological program.
The grants are generated by general revenue, and were enacted to encourage students entering to college to stay in Texas and apply to private universities.
The Texas TEG Program offers up to $3,331 per school year, according to the program’s Web site, but students with “exceptional need” are eligible to receive up to $4,966 per year. The total amount awarded may not exceed the student’s financial need or the amount the student would be paying in excess if they were attending a public college or university.
During the last fiscal year, SMU received $5,750,119 from the Texas TEG Program, benefiting 1,486 students, according to a report from SMU Director of Financial Aid Marc Peterson.
“The university’s commitment to putting a group like this together and really supporting students’ abilities to come to the Hilltop and pay for what is a very expensive education is great,” said Derek Jones, a senior markets and culture major. “We appreciate university’s support. We were prepped by a dedicated group of staff members. I think it just shows a real commitment that we’re not going to botch this deal and how committed the university is to helping the students.”
