Maybe Diddy could do a recession remix, "It's All about the Hamiltons."

A school is already pretty awesome in my eyes when that school is one that once asked kids applying, “If you were reduced to living on a flat plane, what would be your greatest problems?”  But they just got a little more awesome when I caught a piece in today’s Inside Higher Ed that Hamilton College is going need-blind in their admissions process at exactly the time many other (and wealthier, ahem, Williams/Dartmouth) schools are now being a lot less generous.

“On Saturday, its board voted to become need blind for all domestic students — while continuing its commitment to giving all admitted applicants aid packages to cover their need.”

They deserve huge props for making such a bold move and going against fear and conventional wisdom.  It’s far more heartening to hear about increases to need-based aid than it is to merit-based aid which nearly universally tends to advantage the already advantaged.  (The 25 full-scholarship winners at Caltech one year I was there included 21 who had BOTH parents with advanced degrees. i.e. Dad with Ph.D./Mom with J.D., Dad with M.D./Mom with M.B.A. I can’t do the math but I’m pretty sure that’s hitting the tippy-tippy-top of statistical indicators for a child’s success.)  It’s unlikely, but I hope Hamilton’s decision will give pause to other elite schools of their caliber who were hoping to move away from being supportive of all students regardless of their socioeconomic background.