Sage Tuition Rewards

AFM clients are eligible to provide a unique benefit to family members – the opportunity for the students in your immediate & extended family to earn discounts on tuition at an expanding national “network” of 407 private colleges and universities.

Through SAGE Tuition Rewards®, the nation’s largest private college rewards program, you are eligible for a “frequent flyer miles” program for college savings.  Tuition Rewards points valued at $85.7 million were submitted to member colleges in 2018.

Member colleges include well-known universities (Bradley, Clarkson, Creighton, DePaul, Duquesne, Fairleigh-Dickinson, Lawrence, Marist, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Stetson, University of Dayton, University of San Diego, University of Tampa, Valparaiso, Worcester Polytechnic Institute) as well as smaller institutions in 47 states from Maine to Hawaii.

In short, for every dollar in assets under our management, you earn tuition rewards points which can be used to offset undergraduate tuition.  The earned points function as a guaranteed minimum scholarship at the participating schools.

SAGE’s new foundation will award $1 million in cash scholarships over the next five years — to participating high school seniors who enroll at a member college. Annually, SAGE will award 200 scholarships of $1,000.

Early this summer, SAGE will introduce a website limited to the 400+ member colleges – with a search tool for colleges, majors & careers, plus information about paying for college. Families will be able to utilize a unique, easy-to-use “College Visit Trip Planner” linked to Expedia & Google maps.

If you have a family member entering 11th grade this fall, please let us know now so we can be sure to get you (and them) enrolled before the August 31st deadline mentioned below.

Graduate student hugging her parents

Answers to some of the biggest questions are below, and we have included further material on the program here.

WHAT ARE TUITION REWARDS?

Tuition Rewards Points represent guaranteed minimum scholarships – discounts on undergraduate tuition.

One Tuition Rewards point is equivalent to $1.00 in discounts off of tuition at participating colleges (for undergraduate study).

WHAT IS THE COST TO PARTICIPATE?

There is no cost to participate as a current client of AFM.

HOW DO I EARN TUITION REWARDS POINTS?

You earn points twice per year, equaling 5% of your total assets under management with AFM (2.5% in June and 2.5% in December).

A client with $1 million in assets with AFM, would therefore earn 50,000 tuition reward points after one year, equaling $50,000 in guaranteed tuition discounts.  (The maximum possible reward per student is $55,290).

After 5 years, the client in the above example would have 250,000 Tuition Rewards Points guaranteed to be worth $250,000 in tuition discounts.

There is no limit to the number of points you can earn.

WHO CAN USE TUITION REWARDS POINTS?

Family members, including children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and even godchildren are eligible.  There is no limit to the number of children you can enroll.

HOW DO I USE TUITION REWARDS POINTS?

Points are awarded to your account based on AFM assets.  You then add points to your sponsored students via your online account.

It is important to know these deadlines:

  • Students must be added to your Tuition Rewards account by August 31 of the year they start 11th grade
  • Clients must transfer points the student by August 31 of the year they start 12th grade
  • You must submit your student’s rewards within 10 days of their applicationto the school (10 days before or after).
  • The Tuition Rewards scholarship has a maximum value of 1 years’ worth of tuition, with the scholarship spread out over 4 years.

WHICH SCHOOLS ARE ELIGIBLE?

  • The full list of more than 400 eligible schools is here.

WHY WOULD COLLEGES PARTICIPATE?

  • They get access to market to an attractive pool of students.
  • The participating colleges are typically smaller private colleges, looking to attract students.  For the schools, participating in the program gives them a focused database of demographically attractive students to market to.  The students in the program tend to have higher GPAs and better scores SAT/ACT score than average, and need less financial aid than the median applicant.
  • When a student is enrolled in the Tuition Rewards Program, the student is added to a database that the schools use to recruit from. This allows them to target a more focused list of potential applicants

Disclaimers

  • Tuition Rewards® Points may be redeemed for guaranteed discounts on undergraduate tuition at participating 4-year private colleges & universities, beginning with the freshman year. [The colleges are using our program to fill their freshman classes.]
  • Tuition Rewards® are remitted solely as a reduction to the participating college’s full tuition bill —NOT awarded in cash. Points must be submitted at time of application for the freshman year.
  • Tuition Rewards® Points represent a “guaranteed minimum scholarship.” Colleges reserve the right to use Tuition Rewards® as part of, or separate from, any financial aid package.
  • Tuition Rewards® are limited to a maximum per student of up to one year’s tuition, spread evenly over 4 years, or as contractually agreed. [Maximum amounts vary by college. Some of the early members are still “capped” at $13,811; SAGE is working to upgrade these agreements.]

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