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If someone had told my high school self that I’d end up at a private liberal arts college in Walla Walla, Washington, I would’ve laughed. Not because I didn’t like the idea but because the price tag alone made me close the tab on Whitman’s website.

I grew up in a small town in eastern Oregon, about 40 miles from Walla Walla. Coming here felt like the “big city” for me. It’s where my family would go to shop for back-to-school clothes and Christmas gifts, or have a fancy dinner. I never really even gave Whitman much thought because, well, I thought it was out of my price range. People back home would say, “Just go to a state school. It’s cheaper.” And honestly, I believed it. Everyone I knew went to a community college or an in-state public university.

Then I found out about Whitman’s Early Financial Aid Guarantee and it completely changed my trajectory.

Here’s the short version: If you want to know how much money you’ll get in scholarships and aid, Whitman will give you a pretty accurate idea before you even commit. No guessing or hoping everything works out in the spring. Trust me, I couldn’t afford to take that kind of risk either. Whitman’s transparency made all the difference.

The Financial Aid Offer That Changed Everything

When I first heard about the program, I submitted my request almost on impulse. I figured, why not? The worst-case scenario is that Whitman would confirm what I already assumed—that it was too expensive—and I’d go back to comparing public schools. But instead, something unexpected happened.

My Early Financial Aid Guarantee letter made Whitman ... affordable! When I opened the email, I was expecting a number that would make my stomach fall through the floor. Instead, I stared at a screen showing me that—after scholarships, grants and need-based aid—I would pay the same as the in-state public universities that I was considering. I couldn’t believe that a private school with small class sizes, dedicated professors and gorgeous campus views of the Blue Mountains ended up being within my price range. 

That moment completely rewired my entire idea of what was “possible.” Up until then, I’d been making decisions based on my assumption of cost. Whitman’s Early Financial Aid Guarantee cut through all that and gave me clarity. Without this program, I wouldn’t have applied to Whitman. Period. Not because I didn’t think I’d thrive here but because I assumed I couldn’t afford it.

Now, years later, I can honestly say choosing Whitman was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve had professors who’ve offered me internships and research positions, classmates who’ve become family and other opportunities I never imagined I’d get as an undergraduate. Plus, it's a community that feels like home.

All of that started because Whitman’s Early Financial Aid Guarantee broke down exactly what my education would cost me.

So trust me when I say this: Don’t let the sticker price hold you back. Submit your Early Decision Financial Aid Guarantee form. Get your offer. Then decide.

Worst-case scenario? It doesn’t work financially and you walk away with clarity—not wondering “what if.”

Best case scenario? You get the same surprise I did and, suddenly, a school you thought was out of reach becomes totally possible.

Analie Pambrun-Carnes ’27 (she/her) is a Rhetoric, Writing & Public Discourse major from Pendleton, Oregon. With career ambitions of going into Native and reservation law, Whitman’s Internship Grant supported Analie’s summer preserving the oral history of the Métis people in Frenchtown and caring for the land.