<p>Obviously, if it's not full tuition or higher, then it's not enough. But after learning about a nearly 50,000 dollar price tag, I really feel that a $24,000 scholarship isn't plain enough to pay for school. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>It puts you on a par with OOS tuition at many public universities, though not at your in-state school.</p>
<p>You plainly have a choice to make.</p>
<p>It depends on how badly you want to attend Tulane, I suppose. My d did not receive the Dean's Honors Scholarship, even though she was hounded with emails and letters asking her to apply for it, and is left with the 24,000 scholarship. We will attend the honors weekend to determine how much she wants Tulane and then go from there. There is a slight chance that she will get need based aid, but if it is totally in the form of loans, forget it. I also need to call them to ask whether they give National Merit scholarships. </p>
<p>BTW- she was 2310 SAT, 4.7 weighted GPA, and submitted a CD playing the Mendelssohn violin concerto accompanied by an essay on how that piece inspired her passion for music and the violin. I'm very disappointed that she did not receive the DHS, mainly because they really pestered her to apply for it. Almost seems like a bait and switch to me.</p>
<p>I'm not surprised that they hounded her with emails. Isn't that basically what they did to so many students with their personal application. Now they have over 37,000 applicants and are wondering why... I feel bad for those students who really believed that Tulane wanted them. I'm glad that my son applied EA.</p>
<p>Well, I applied to Tulane in about October when they sent me an email with a fast and free online application that only took 15 minutes to fill out. Then a few months later, I'm accepted with $24,000 per year. "Sounds promising," I said. But then, I only learned that it costs 47,000 a year! I don't know if I can even pay the rest even if I desperately wanted to go...</p>
<p>I'm still semi-seriously considering attending Tulane. While I was one of those Priority Application victims, I knew a bit about Tulane's reputation and I know a guy who goes there and he really likes it. I don't know if my breakdown is completely accurate but:</p>
<p>UC school (~23,000/yr) = Tulane (47,000-24,000=~23,000/yr)</p>
<p>My parents are willing to pay for me to go to a UC school, so I would imagine they would do the same for Tulane. Hopefully I get something in the way of financial aid. (GRANTS not loans)</p>
<p>I read somewhere that financial aid packages for Tulane should begin to be sent out at the begining of March.......</p>
<p>Since my son applied to all his schools EA we've had decisions for quite a while. The wait for financial aid is driving me nuts....</p>
<p>Gosh- all the sarcasm and negativity. Not sure I agree that it is deserved. Tulane has done an incredible job of marketing and increasing its applicant pool. This is not a bad thing. And they are clear in their admissions presentations that the average aid package is about $29k (this is from memory) so why the suspiciousness?? Yes it is expensive, but so are many other private schools. Here is a table of the history of Tulane's tuition and fees Undergraduate</a> Tuition over Time If the DHS is full tuition (anyone know if it covers any of the other fees listed with tuition in the top part of the table I posted here?), it is about $9500/yr more than the $24k scholarship (which in and of itself is certainly nothing to sneeze at). The estimated annual out of pocket expenses for DHS students is $12k and for presidential scholars is $21,500/yr. Thats pretty reasonable, IMO.</p>
<p>I don't think Tulane hounded my son with any more emails than any other schools. And believe it or not, February of his senior year, he's STILL getting emails and snail mail from schools, "begging" him to apply. If it wasn't for Tulane's marketing two years ago, it never would have been on his radar. Now it's at the top of his list, along with several other very fine schools. As for the cost, of the 11 schools he applied to, all but one were private LACs or Tulane-size universities. COA - they're all within several hundred to $2K of each other, but most of the others don't match Tulane in terms of the amount of merit scholarship money - either DHS or Presidential. At some, although he's been awarded their highest scholarship, it's still only 1/2 tuition. Although the less it costs, the happier I'd be, I certainly don't expect him to receive a private school education for free! I like to be paid for going to work everyday, and I'm sure the professors and staffs of these colleges do, too. There are alternatives - state and community colleges. (Similar to healthcare, but that's another topic for another day)</p>
<p>ERPMom: Well the more you get the better, right? And, I don't think these scholarships affect the professors and staff of Tulane either...</p>
<p>Yes, the more you get the better, but rarely do things come free in life.... the point is, Tulane's cost of attendance is in line with other schools above and below them; their merit aid is more generous.</p>
<p>Does Tulane reevaluate your merit aid from year to year? Like if you get a weak package freshman year and do really well are you likely to get a more substantial package your sophmore year?</p>
<p>You have to maintain a certain GPA to keep the scholarships. Don't know if they'll increase a package- but I suppose its possible</p>
<p>jym626 - The DHS only covers tuition. The additional fees are NOT covered by DHS scholarship. And yes, each year as the financial forms are filled out Tulane could modify the 'aid package' for attendance. This is true of all colleges since year to year a family's financial circumstances could change dramatically.</p>
<p>Hovermom-
Thanks for the clarification on the DHS. Thats what I thought, but wasn't sure. I am also wondering if the National Merit scholarship can be combined with the DHS. From the way it reads on Tulane's site, it sounds like if the NM $$ comes from NM it can be combined, but that Tulane doesnt give additional merit $ over and above the DHS. Anyone have experience with this?</p>
<p>As for HealinOtheNation's Q- he/she askes about changes in merit aid packages from year to year. I would assume that any possible changes would be based on academic performance, not financial need, as the merit $ isn't based on need, so financial circumstances shouldn't really be a direct variable in the recalculation of merit $$.</p>
<p>I don't understand the "victim" tone in a couple of these posts. A scholarship app isn't a promise of its being granted. Emails about apps are standard marketing tools. My son would never have known Tulane offeered the major he started off in without emails from them. Being given $24,000 is cause for celebration and gratitude, particularly from a school that also provides more financial aid to the point where the student's EFC ends up being met. </p>
<p>Our son has a similar scholarship to the one some of you are complaining about, and he also has a grant each year that supplies more money from the school. He also WORKS and has a small loan. We don't regard any of this as any form of victimization even if he did receive many forms of solicitation. Tulane has been an amazing school for him, providing opportunities for undergraduate research both at Tulane and at LSU, a chance to mentor high school kids, major in three different fields at the same time and graduate with a BA and BS in four years, and have a social life all at the same time. All this with parents who could never have afforded to send him there.</p>
<p>If Tulane isn't for you, then it isn't for you, but no one's a victim for being offered $24K to go there.</p>
<p>I think in this case, people are using the term loosely. I highly doubt that anyone is actually being victimized by the scholarship application. I think what people are trying to say is that the scholarship app and subsequent scholarship act as a "villian" in that they throw a monkeywrench in some people's college decision making process because $24,000 IS a lot of money and Tulane is an excellent school, but not one people had necessarily considered before getting the application.</p>
<p>When I said merit aid, I ment non-need based aid. I understand that need based aid changes from year to year because of financial situations. I am unsure about merit aid simply because what incentive does any college have to up your merit aid after your first year? A good freshman package may get an over qualified student into the school for financial reasons and thus makes the school look better and helps their stats, but what does the school gain by giving a sophmore more money.</p>
<p>HealinOTheNation, I think that in order to retain your merit scholarship, you have to maintain a certain GPA, but I don't think that the amount you're awarded prior to matriculation will go up once you've become a freshman or sophomore.</p>
<p>ctymomteacher, I agree with you. All schools send emails and applications (even the Ivies send letters strongly suggesting you apply, based on PSATs or SATs, but that in no way guarantees acceptance). And, like your son, my son only became aware of Tulane through information sent to him by email and postal mail. It was not a school he ever would have applied to, nor would it have been on our radar. And, as I posted earlier, their merit aid is more generous than most colleges and universities. I'm grateful for what my son was awarded, and he can now see the value of his hard work throughout high school. An offer of full tuition or $24K or $18K is a lot more than most other schools are offering, without having to show financial need.</p>
<p>I don't know if your meant me when you say "victim"tone, but I will respond anyway, since I did complain about my daughter having been hounded to apply only to then not receive the DHS. </p>
<p>I absolutely think that Tulane is a great school that is seeking mightily to surpass the devastation caused to itself and the city of NO by Katrina. They also clearly want to expand their name- recognition outside of the southern region. Hence, I fully understand their strategy to email vociferously to get the word out about their existence and the amazing opportunities they offer. Clearly, they have been successful as some of you indicate that your children would never even have considered Tulane until they were emailed and are now there having a great experience. In additon, I agree that they do offer generous merit aid in comparison to other schools. </p>
<p>That being said, whether or not 24K is enough to go to the school depends on a variety of factors, unique to each person's situation. With a 50K pricetag, the Presidential scholarship still leaves a load to consider carefully, depending on whether or not need based aid will be forthcoming, as well as the type of need based aid (grant vs.loan) offered. Since we have not yet heard about the need based awards, we can only wait and see. </p>
<p>Am I disappointed that my daughter didn't get the DHS? You betcha. Perhaps we misunderstood the hounding to be more promising than it was meant to be, particularly since everyone in Houston, TX already knows about Tulane and the great school that it is. Do we feel victimized? NO! But the rejection still stings. </p>
<p>Bottom line, whether 24K is enough depends on a lot of different factors including need and desire.</p>