Whitman College announced a new affordability program dubbed the “10% Promise,” capping tuition at 10% of family earnings and guaranteeing the approach for four years for incoming first-year and transfer students enrolling in fall 2027. The school says the model is designed to reduce reliance on opaque pricing formulas and provide predictable tuition costs. The program uses FAFSA eligibility and calculates the scholarship amount through a tuition guarantee based on adjusted gross income. Whitman’s model still requires students to cover non-tuition costs such as housing and living expenses. The move reflects heightened pressure on small and selective institutions to demonstrate financial value in a market where families increasingly seek affordability certainty. For the sector, it also raises questions about sustainability of tuition caps, aid design, and how such guarantees interact with federal and state financial aid rules. As colleges compete on outcomes and value messaging, Whitman’s policy provides a concrete pricing framework that could become a reference point for other institutions testing affordability commitments.