<p>I keep seeing 25k to 15k awards for people on CC. I am extremely interested in this college, but cannot pay more than 15-20k per year. Are they usually more generous with need based?</p>
<p>Okay, so I just got my financial aid award today.</p>
<p>Cost of attendance (tuition, room and board, etc.) comes out to be ~$62,000.
There’s apparently a 2024 Bicentennial Award that I got. Cuts it down by $26,000.
Along with other loans.</p>
<p>So, my family ends up paying around $30,000.</p>
<p>Never mind. Bicentennial Award is actually merit-based. Oops.</p>
<p>I would say they are more generous with mert-based aid, but it really depends on your level of need.</p>
<p>My EFC is about 1,000(if i remember correctly), my parents make 40k per year. Anyone with similar EFC/salary that can tell me what they recieved?</p>
<p>I’m in the same situation as @darkaeroga, with very similar financial situation. I read on the RPI website that the aid award is distributed 2 weeks after acceptance letters.</p>
<p>bdieu17, please let me know how this goes by messaging me, I will even remind you two weeks later as I am really interested. Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>the need/merit balance is confusing.</p>
<p>The RPI net price calculator comes up 28K EFC and actual net price to family on financial statement is 28K.</p>
<p>however, on this statement they callout 25K bicentenial award as “merit” award.</p>
<p>i’d rather receive a financial award, since the "merit"award has to be renewed based on grades.</p>
<p>The only explanation I can come up with is that this award is not merit or their net price calculator is off by 25K. Seems like a strange game.</p>
<p>Actually, RPI’s merit awards are renewable independently from grades, which is really nice, many schools have strings attached to the merit awards. Here is the FAQ link which states that students need only reapply for financially based loans. [Financial</a> Aid FAQs :: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute](<a href=“http://admissions.rpi.edu/aid/faq.html]Financial”>Apply for Aid | Admissions)</p>