ALMA — Alma College is proud to introduce The Tartan Edge, an ambitious new initiative launching in Fall 2026 that reimagines how the college supports students in the mid-Michigan region.
Designed in response to declining college-enrollment rates across rural Michigan, The Tartan Edge represents one of the largest access-focused investments in the college’s history. Across the three participating counties, hundreds of students graduate high school each year, yet a growing number report that cost remains the primary barrier preventing them from pursuing a four-year degree.
The Tartan Edge provides students with a significantly reduced price and cost certainty to attend Alma. Students will pay a flat rate of $17,000 for the 2026-27 school year — a total that includes tuition up to 18 credits, as well as the cost of room and meals. Standard fees and overload academic credits remain the responsibility of the student. To provide cost certainty, students will have a flat yearly increase of only $1,500.
“The Tartan Edge is our promise to the communities that raised us. Students in Gratiot, Isabella, and Montcalm counties deserve access to a life-changing, relationship-centered education — and they shouldn’t have to leave home to find it. This initiative ensures that cost will not be the barrier that stops local students from realizing their potential,” said President Joe Odenwald.
Michigan ranks 34th nationally in bachelor’s-degree attainment, at just 32 percent, and many rural counties — including those surrounding Alma — fall far below that benchmark. In 2021, only 16.8 percent of adults in Gratiot County held a bachelor’s degree or higher. By increasing the number of college graduates in mid-Michigan, The Tartan Edge supports the state’s Sixty by 30 goal to increase the percentage of Michiganders with postsecondary credentials and degrees.
“We know that talented students in our rural communities sometimes limit their college choices because of cost,” said Vice President for Enrollment Doug Freed. “The Tartan Edge removes that barrier and empowers students to think bigger — to pursue majors, careers, and experiences they once thought were out of reach.”
Unlike traditional scholarship models, The Tartan Edge combines tuition coverage with Alma’s high-touch support system, emphasizing mentorship, early career development, and interdisciplinary learning. Through this initiative, students will build adaptable, future-ready skills in fields urgently needed across the region, including education, health care, business, and the sciences.
To be eligible, students must file the FAFSA each year, enroll full time and maintain continuous enrollment in fall and winter semesters.
The Tartan Edge complements Alma’s already-generous scholarship structure, which includes merit awards, talent- and program-based scholarships, and need-based support designed to make an Alma education accessible to students from every background. In addition to The Tartan Edge, the College offers a wide range of financial-aid opportunities for high-achieving students, performers, athletes, and those pursuing specialized academic pathways.
More information about Alma’s full suite of scholarships is available at alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships. For more information on The Tartan Edge, visit alma.edu/tartan-edge.