Understanding the HAIL Scholarship at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan (U-M) has long been committed to fostering socioeconomic diversity within its student body. One key initiative in this effort was the HAIL (High Achieving Involved Leaders) Scholarship Program. This article delves into the details of the HAIL Scholarship, its requirements, its impact, and its eventual sunsetting, providing a comprehensive overview for prospective students, current scholars, and anyone interested in the University's commitment to accessible education.

The Genesis of HAIL: Addressing Barriers to Access

Research has consistently demonstrated that low-income students face distinct challenges in the college application process. These challenges include:

Uncertainty about Suitability: Low-income students may underestimate their ability to succeed at elite institutions.
Overestimation of Costs: Students and their families often overestimate the actual cost of attending college, particularly after financial aid is factored in.
Procedural Barriers: The complex financial aid application process can be daunting and discouraging.

To address these barriers, researchers and administrators at the University of Michigan developed the HAIL Scholarship program. This program was designed to attract high-achieving, low-income students to consider applying to and enrolling in the University.

What Was the HAIL Scholarship?

The HAIL Scholarship provided a significant financial incentive for eligible students. Its core benefit was:

Full Tuition and Fees: The scholarship covered the full cost of tuition and fees for four years of undergraduate study on the Ann Arbor campus.

While the HAIL Scholarship focused on tuition and fees, the University recognized that other costs, such as housing and meals, also posed a significant burden for low-income students. To address this, the university supported HAIL scholars in obtaining additional assistance to cover housing and other expenses. To ensure that they receive this additional financial assistance, students complete both the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.

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Impact of the HAIL Scholarship

The HAIL Scholarship Program, since its inception in 2015, played a significant role in boosting application, admission and matriculation rates, with the primary effect being a larger number of applications from low-income students across Michigan, helping to grow the socioeconomic diversity of first-year entering classes.

During Year Five, the program encouraged 358 new low-income, first-year students to apply to U-M. Of those, 124 chose to enroll. In total, 1,253 HAIL recipients have enrolled during the first five years of the program, representing 77 Michigan counties and 330 high schools from across the state.

In Year Five of the DEI strategic plan, first-year retention metrics for HAIL Scholarship recipients continued to improve. The one-year retention rate for the first cohort (Fall 2016) was 92.4 percent. That number rose to 94.1 percent for the second cohort, 96 percent for the third cohort, and 97.4 percent for the fourth cohort. These statistics bring the HAIL retention rate in line with those of non-HAIL, in-state, low-income students.

Data obtained regarding the Fall 2019 freshman class affirms that among the list of the top 301 schools by number of applications to the University, in schools where more than 17.5% of students qualified for free lunch, the average matriculation rate for admitted students was 52%. The disparity between the two matriculation rates suggests that students from lower socioeconomic status districts are more likely to accept their offer of admission from the University than students from more affluent areas.

Personal Accounts: The HAIL Scholarship in Action

The experiences of HAIL Scholarship recipients highlight the transformative impact of the program.

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LSA sophomore Brittney Schaefer, HAIL scholarship recipient, was the first student from Charlton Heston Academy in St. Helen, Mich., to be accepted into any Big Ten school. Schaefer said if she had not received the notice that she had gotten the HAIL scholarship prior to the early action deadline, her financial situation would have discouraged her from applying to the University altogether. “(Attending the University) has definitely taken me out of my comfort zone and has given me the education and the opportunities that I really wanted,” Schaefer said.

LSA senior Caleb Adams, who attended Bark River-Harris High School in Harris, Mich., also received the HAIL scholarship. “I grew up a Michigan fan, but I didn’t consider going to college there before (the scholarship),” Adams said. “Now, Michigan has sent me to Amsterdam to study abroad. Last fall I had lunch with George Bush’s Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

Sunsetting the HAIL Scholarship: A Shift in Approach

Despite its success, the University decided to sunset the HAIL Scholarship. This decision was driven by a desire for consistency with the university’s overall financial aid policy. By requiring all students to demonstrate need through the FAFSA and CSS Profile, the University aimed to ensure that financial aid dollars were directed to the students with the greatest need.

Honoring Existing Commitments

It's important to note that the University honored all commitments to current and incoming HAIL students. This included:

Current HAIL Scholars: Students who were already receiving the HAIL Scholarship continued to receive the four years of full tuition and fees without requiring demonstrated need, through to graduation.
Early Middle College Students: Students who were identified as HAIL eligible in 2022-2023 while participating in an early middle college program, who are currently completing their 13th year in that program, will also have their HAIL commitment honored if they are admitted to U-M for fall 2024.
UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint Transfers: The Ann Arbor campus honored the same commitment for any student who was offered the HAIL Scholarship, enrolled at UM-Flint or UM-Dearborn (in fall 2023 or prior), and transfers to the Ann Arbor campus.

Other Financial Aid Opportunities

Even though the HAIL Scholarship has been sunsetted, the University of Michigan remains committed to providing financial assistance to students in need. Students are encouraged to explore the various financial aid options available, including grants, scholarships, and loans.

Read also: Applying for Merit Scholarships

The Go Blue Guarantee

According to University President Mark Schlissel, the HAIL research project was instrumental in designing the program he would be most proud of implementing within his first five years as president: the Go Blue Guarantee. The philosophy behind the guarantee was derived from HAIL’s success with increasing low-income student application rates by advertising specific financial aid promises when high school students begin the college application process, but the Go Blue Guarantee aims to do this on an even more massive scale.

University of Michigan Grant

The University of Michigan Grant (formerly Michigan Grant) is available to eligible U-M undergraduate students who are enrolled in their first bachelor's degree during the first 10 terms of enrollment in a college or university, in addition to the requirements for federal student aid. This includes U-M or any other institution.

Additional Information

Second Bachelor's Degree: Students are eligible for federal aid if they are pursuing double majors or dual-degree programs as long as they meet Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. If a student has earned an undergraduate degree and has re-entered college to pursue another bachelor's degree, financial aid is limited to loans.
Non-candidate for Degree Students: Students admitted with a non-candidate-for-degree status may qualify for federal loan assistance if they are taking prerequisite courses for admittance into a U-M program. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to receive more detailed information regarding potential eligibility and to obtain a Non-Candidate for Degree Questionnaire.
Enrollment at More Than One Institution: Students who are enrolled at more than one college or university at the same time may receive aid from only one institution. Special note to UM-Ann Arbor students electing to complete coursework at UM-Dearborn or UM-Flint. Aid will be awarded by the UM-Ann Arbor Office of Financial Aid solely for coursework taken on the Ann Arbor campus. Courses taken at a different campus location will not be eligible for financial aid and do not count toward credit hour requirements for full-time enrollment at the Ann Arbor campus.

Maintaining Eligibility

Like all Michigan students, HAIL Scholars are required to maintain 12 credits (full-time) and a GPA of 2.0 or higher to retain their scholarship. The HAIL Scholarship is not available for spring or summer terms. However, you may qualify for other aid. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid to learn more about available financial resources.

The scholarship can be used during any fall or winter semester when you are attending a UM-sponsored study abroad program. The value of the award is equivalent to the cost of UM-Ann Arbor tuition and fees.

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