Wellesley’s recent financial aid changes have brought the question of affordability into focus. The Wellesley Tuition Promise, announced in September 2026, will cover tuition for eligible students with families earning $200,000 or less annually with typical assets beginning in fall 2027. The announcement came alongside a roughly 4% increase in undergraduate tuition for the 2026-27 academic year. [...] Together, the students’ perspectives illustrate different dimensions of Wellesley’s affordability commitments. For Chae, expanding tuition assistance reinforces the College’s commitment to educational equity, even as she questions how students’ expenses beyond tuition will be addressed. For Student A, the Promise is welcome, but it arrives alongside concerns about the financial support and campus resources available to current students. [...] Student A, a senior at Wellesley, also welcomed the Promise’s potential to expand access, but her own experience has made the question of affordability more immediate. She said her tuition had doubled this academic year, despite having paid the same amount during the previous three years. She also mentioned she had heard similar situations from other students struggling financially and receiving less assistance than they felt they needed.