DeKalb Times

Northern Illinois University (NIU) is expanding its AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge program to further demonstrate its commitment to access and affordability. Supported by the State of Illinois' AIM HIGH Program, the AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge offers qualifying Illinois high school seniors the opportunity to have their tuition costs and general fees covered for their first year at NIU, and potentially beyond.

Previously, the program had eligibility requirements that included a family adjusted gross income at or below $75,000. However, NIU has now raised the threshold to $100,000, allowing more students to qualify for the program. This change is effective immediately for students enrolling as full-time freshmen in the upcoming fall semester.

Sol Jensen, NIU vice president for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications, expressed the university's commitment to reducing barriers and creating opportunities. Jensen stated, "We're excited to announce that we've expanded our AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge program to make NIU an affordable choice for even more students."

The Huskie Pledge program guarantees that eligible students' tuition and general fee costs will be covered by grants and/or scholarships for their first year at NIU and potentially for up to four more years if they meet renewal eligibility criteria. Since its inception in 2020, the program has benefited nearly 3,500 full-time students at NIU. These students had an average high school GPA of 3.55, with almost three-quarters of them being first-generation college students.

With the expanded eligibility, families with an adjusted gross income at or below $100,000 can now have their students qualify for the program. Jensen emphasized the importance of completing NIU's free application and submitting the FAFSA or Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid as soon as possible.

To address concerns regarding changes to the FAFSA application and the delay in the U.S. Department of Education sending financial aid information to universities, NIU has extended its AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge priority deadline to April 1.

State Representatives Lance Yednock and Jeff Keicher have expressed their support for the AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge program. Yednock praised NIU for extending the program's eligibility, stating, "NIU extending the AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge to incomes at or below $100k will open access to the university for so many more students, proving once again NIU is one of the most forward-thinking and accessible universities in our state—way to go NIU!"

Keicher, an alum and first-generation college graduate, shared his personal experience and the impact NIU had on his life. He commended the AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge for providing opportunities to students like himself, saying, "NIU offers today's students the same ability to succeed in achieving dreams today as it did for me 25 years ago."

For more information about NIU's AIM HIGH Huskie Pledge program, interested individuals can visit the program's website.