A generation ago, the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma was the kind of liberal-arts college that attracted mostly local, home-grown students. But as it built a national reputation — and as the price of tuition rose — the school’s enrollment increasingly came from out of state. Today, 80 percent of UPS students come from outside Washington.
Now, UPS is looking to change that.
The university is making a new push into Tacoma public schools, whose students account for only about 2 percent of the university’s enrollment. UPS is promising that if they are admitted, the university will meet their financial need through a combination of scholarships, grants, loans and work study.
UPS President Ron Thomas said the community has the perception that the college is difficult to get into, and too expensive. He said UPS has always tried to meet the financial need of students who couldn’t afford full tuition, so the campaign is in part an effort to make people more aware of financial aid resources.
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