A guaranteed early aid offer initiative
Colorado Mesa University will likely be the first campus in Colorado to issue guaranteed early aid offers in 2024. CMU is calling the new program CMU First Aid.
By aligning the university’s innovative financial aid calculator with the CMU application process, students will be able to receive their guaranteed early financial aid offers in a matter of days — compared to those who wait for offers from the federal government may be required to wait for months.
As part of a commitment to radical affordability, CMU first built the custom financial aid calculator in 2023. The tool was combined with early aid offer protocols as CMU's response to federal FAFSA delays. The success of the innovation resulted in CMU determining early aid offers should be issued moving forward not only as a short-term response to federal delays, but should be issued moving forward irrespective of federal government timelines in order to better meet the financial planning needs of low-income and first-generation students served by CMU.
Building on the success of last year’s Wait Is Over Initiative, the CMU First Aid program differs because guaranteed early aid offer calculations are now built into the application process, and are available when students apply to CMU. The innovative approach to financial aid issuance is a first of its kind in Colorado to support students who are most at risk for not attending college due to financial uncertainty.
“We don’t have the luxury of waiting for solutions to materialize from the federal level, especially with the majority of our students being first-generation and from low-to-middle-income families,” said CMU President John Marshall. “That’s why CMU First Aid is so important — it guarantees students can confidently plan their futures without the uncertainty that comes from the federal government.”
The heart of CMU First Aid’s calculator is that students receive guaranteed early aid offers based on their family’s income. This tool can be used as students apply to CMU, or any time after they are admitted. The program emphasizes CMU’s ongoing commitment to radical affordability, and is built from the institution’s values, like courage and resilience, which are at the core of the university’s mission.
“With CMU First Aid, we’re leading the way by not just talking about affordability but by applying financial first aid to those who have been banged up and bruised by delays and uncertainty,” said CMU Board of Trustee Chair Tim Fry. “This initiative reflects our core belief in radical affordability and our commitment to ensuring financial aid reaches those who need it most, without delay.”
While the CMU First Aid initiative provides early financial aid offers, CMU is still reminding students to complete the FAFSA or CASFA to fully maximize their financial aid eligibility when federal processing issues are resolved.
"With this program, we’re reinforcing our commitment to ensuring every student, especially those relying on need-based aid, can confidently plan for their future,” said Marshall.
For students and families looking to secure guaranteed early aid offers the calculator and CMU application is available here.