SAN ANGELO, Texas — The year 2020 has been filled with uncertainties. Not only is it an election year, but we're also in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, which has caused economic instability. That's one of the reasons administrators at Howard Payne University say they wanted to implement "HPU Price Promise:" a program that guarantees students will pay the same tuition from freshman year through senior year.
"Over the last year, we've discussed how well we can serve students and what that looks like for Howard Payne. Especially in a year a lot of people really didn't see coming. Our focus was providing some stability and some certainty during a year that not a lot of that is provided," said Ben Martin, the associate vice president for enrollment management at HPU.
Part of that service is HPU Price Promise. Beginning in fall 2021, all new students' tuition will be locked in at their starting rate until they graduate, as long as they remain enrolled full time in consecutive fall and spring semesters at HPU.
"Here at Howard Payne, tuition is tuition and it's locked in starting your freshman year. At some point, every family has to sit down and look at the price, no matter what. To be able to say, 'hey, when we look at Howard Payne, we know that price is the price, no matter what...' that's a good thing," Martin said.
That's not the only change happening at HPU. The university has also recently become a test-optional university, which means you don't have to take standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT or CLT. Of course, students can take these tests in order to earn larger scholarships, but the exams are not needed for admission. Furthermore, whatever scholarship you earn as an incoming freshman at HPU, is the one that you will keep throughout your whole college career, no matter what GPA you earn once on campus.
"If you like the merit scholarship you receive just based on GPA and class rank, you don't have to take the test at all, and that's for all four merit scholarships," Martin said.
For more information, visit the Howard Payne University admissions website.