Yale University announced a policy to provide free tuition for families earning under $200,000 a year for new undergraduates, starting in the fall, part of a wider push among elite schools to expand aid and accessibility.

The Associated Press notes its education coverage is funded by private foundations and clarifies that AP is responsible for the content.

The article emphasizes funding sources for AP's higher-education coverage and places the admissions/de-diversity debates in a broader context.

Practical guidance for families includes looking beyond sticker prices, using net price calculators, completing the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and negotiating aid offers between schools.

Families should still submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile, use each school’s net price calculator, and carefully compare individualized aid offers.

The broader context notes rising questions about the value of a costly college degree amid persistent student loan debt, with nearly 43 million Americans in debt as of 2024.

The policy shift occurs amid affordability initiatives as institutions grapple with cost concerns, national income benchmarks, and growing student loan burdens.

Experts say free-tuition moves reflect concerns about affordability and public value, with some aid replacing loans with grants at elite institutions.

Rising free-tuition programs are part of a broader competitive trend among colleges to improve access and perceptions of value, partly in response to court decisions limiting race-conscious admissions.

AP notes clarify that coverage focuses on tuition and certain costs, while some expenses may still fall to families or other sources.

The move follows a broader trend tied to diversity efforts in response to a Supreme Court decision affecting admissions, with campuses reporting record low-income enrollments but mixed progress for Black and Latino students.

Previously, the income threshold was $75,000; raising it to $200,000 marks a substantial expansion that could make nearly half of American households with children eligible for some cost waivers.