Junior twins Stefanie and Katie Garry pay a total of $16,165 to cover both of their tuitions each year at GW because of a grant the University offers to families with more than one enrolled child.
The GW Family Grant, established in 1988, awards half tuition to full-time undergraduate students who have siblings at GW. While the grant does not include room and board, siblings are still eligible for financial aid and scholarships, despite their already discounted tuition.
In the Garry twins' case, Katie was awarded the family grant while Stefanie earned a presidential academic scholarship that covers the cost of the full tuition she is charged.
While the twins said that the grant did not influence their decision to come to GW, Katie said, "It didn't hurt."
Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services, said the grant was established to ease parents' wallets as well as encourage families to send more than one of their children to GW.
"(It) attempts to mitigate to some extent the significant expense burden endured by families sending two or more full-time undergraduate children to GW simultaneously," he wrote in an e-mail last week. "It was designed to encourage qualified applications for admission among family legacies."
About 180 families with two or more students enrolled at GW receive the family grant, siad Dan Small, director of Student Financial Assistance. Small said the grant is not based on need, and as long as both siblings are concurrently enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at GW, the younger sibling is awarded half tuition. The younger student must reapply for the grant each year and maintain a 2.0 GPA or better to continue to receive the tuition discount.
Freshmen twins Erika and Amanda Asgeirsson pay $36,370 total for their first year at GW because of the family grant. Erika was given the family grant, while Amanda was given a merit scholarship that covers half her tuition. Together, the twins pay the cost of tuition for one student. Despite the deal, the twins said the grant and scholarship money did not influence their decision to attend GW.
The GW Family Grant, established in 1988, awards half tuition to full-time undergraduate students who have siblings at GW. While the grant does not include room and board, siblings are still eligible for financial aid and scholarships, despite their already discounted tuition.
In the Garry twins' case, Katie was awarded the family grant while Stefanie earned a presidential academic scholarship that covers the cost of the full tuition she is charged.
While the twins said that the grant did not influence their decision to come to GW, Katie said, "It didn't hurt."
Robert Chernak, senior vice president for Student and Academic Support Services, said the grant was established to ease parents' wallets as well as encourage families to send more than one of their children to GW.
"(It) attempts to mitigate to some extent the significant expense burden endured by families sending two or more full-time undergraduate children to GW simultaneously," he wrote in an e-mail last week. "It was designed to encourage qualified applications for admission among family legacies."
About 180 families with two or more students enrolled at GW receive the family grant, siad Dan Small, director of Student Financial Assistance. Small said the grant is not based on need, and as long as both siblings are concurrently enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at GW, the younger sibling is awarded half tuition. The younger student must reapply for the grant each year and maintain a 2.0 GPA or better to continue to receive the tuition discount.
Freshmen twins Erika and Amanda Asgeirsson pay $36,370 total for their first year at GW because of the family grant. Erika was given the family grant, while Amanda was given a merit scholarship that covers half her tuition. Together, the twins pay the cost of tuition for one student. Despite the deal, the twins said the grant and scholarship money did not influence their decision to attend GW.
