<p>Can you negotiate? Why not?! I would say especially if another school offered you more you should contact them and let them know that and ask them to at least come to that level of aid. </p>
<p>It never hurts to ask. Call them yourself - rather than have your parents call for you. I think it is always better when the applicant takes the initiative.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Can I do the negotiation via e-mail.
I'm an international student.</p>
<p>If that is the best option for you, do it. Be open and honest with them. The worse that can happen is that they say no. The upside could be good. Just realize that this year especially there are a lot of people asking for additional help. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you -</p>
<p>Thank you, Skithesteeps!!</p>
<p>I got accepted too. Yay!!! I probably won't go. It's too far. I want to get accepted to Tufts.</p>
<p>sowmit -- you do know that WPI and Tufts are only about 50 miles apart, right?</p>
<p>Yup. According to google maps, WPI and Tufts are 47.8 miles and 1 hour and 2 minutes apart.</p>
<p>Really?? I honestly didn't know that and I live in MA. But still Tufts is Tufts!!</p>
<p>sowmit -- so you're not in California?? I guess I'm a little confused. And, depending on what you want to study, Tufts may or may not be a "better" school. Good luck, though.</p>
<p>sowmit, dude, you just posted on another thread that your SAT score is 1070? Tufts? Seriously?</p>
<p>1070 is not enough to get accepted to WPI either don't you think - typo most likely eh? 2070? Or....?</p>
<p>S and I will be visiting WPI as soon as we can find a clear time to do so. It remains a top contender despite the paltry merit aid.</p>
<p>wpirpi - have you decided between the 2 yet?</p>
<p>Sowmit wrote: "My SAT score is not very good. Cr-490, Math- 540 and Writing- 530." which is why I wondered why he has his heart set on TUfts? So, unless he did a typo on all those numbers.. and remember WPI is SAT optional...</p>
<p>No, I haven't decided between RPI and WPI. Financially after scholarships and grants, they both will be within a few hundred of each other. I am getting scared of the price tag on these schools with the economy. I know a bunch of kids at both schools. They are having a hard time finding summer internships and the ones that are graduating have had interviews, but no jobs. I know it's the economy, but I just don't know. I'm expecting a few more decisions and aid packages this week from other schools this week, then I will decide.</p>
<p>Ditto here. There is no doubt in my mind that we want our son to go to WPI and that WPI is his current first choice. However, in these economic times it might be better to focus on "value" education for undergrad and save the money for grad school. </p>
<p>It's sad when you've done everything you were told to do over the years and scrimped and saved to reach a financial goal only to have it ripped away from you during the past year. Logically we could "afford" the first year or 2 at WPI with what we've been offered and what is left of 529's and other accounts, but after that the family resources are drained and I'm not sure where the money would come from. Maybe start at a state school and try to transfer later when things are more stable and you've saved a bit more?... Get the basics at a cheaper school... That's what I'm thinking. </p>
<p>Though my son is NOT happy about this option, but I just can't see swimming in debt to make this happen. I'm also tainted at this point because I know of someone who just got some huge grants (not loans) for college. I know the student and they aren't "stellar" and they don't seem like they are at all worse off than us financially, but somehow they managed to "work the system" in their favor. Although they could end up as one of the next fraud headlines on the news, so I'm just glad we keep things honest in this house.</p>
<p>Keep us posted on your decision processes. It sounds like we're all in the same boat...</p>
<p>hmmm on the low SAT - you are probably right - this student opted not to send his scores - smart move! LOL
Good luck in your decisions everyone. I certainly empathize.
Does WPI have scholarships available for enrolled students? We might want to contact the FA department and find out. I know Caltech does, probably MIT. It is I suppose a crap shoot, but if a student is very good, and comes out looking better than when he was accepted, if there is a possibility of more merit aid, it might be worth it.
arghgh - this sucks
find the best fit school and have it be out of reach financially - it's the pits</p>
<p>Exactly. I want to go to grad school, so I'm thinking 4 yrs at a less expensive school, then transfer. My parents had a ton of money invested that is gone with the stock market. They will help me all they can, but I have to be responsible for the rest. I got two awesome financial packages in the mail today from RIT and Clarkson which would save me/my family $65-$70k over the four years.</p>
<p>wpirpi (gee... I just accidentally typed wpirip... I guess we need to let these decisions rest in peace!) - </p>
<p>Good for you for being so responsible and understanding so well the financial pressures. I can tell just by your attitude that you will go very far! Congratulations about the other packages and best of luck with your decision. Who knows, maybe something else will fall your way and make WPI or RPI more affordable for you.</p>
<p>Also do consider the transfer option during your undergraduate. You never know...</p>
<p>my son has also said he will go to a less expensive school - but we may be willing to take it on - if the fit seems just right and if jupiter aligns with mars. I appreciate he has offered this. wpirpi - make sure your folks understand what is driving your decision (if you lean toward the other schools). Your parents may surpise you, and if not, at the very least they will be grateful and proud.</p>
<p>"I am getting scared of the price tag on these schools with the economy. I know a bunch of kids at both schools(WPI-RPI). They are having a hard time finding summer internships and the ones that are graduating have had interviews, but no jobs."</p>
<p>I was not aware of this. I thought things were going okay, not necessarily great, for WPI-RPI students/grads despite the economy. Are these kids you know getting good grades? More detail would be nice- I am definitely concerned. </p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>I know of two senior Aero majors who had job offers at (too tired to remember) a big company in CT, but the company just had huge lay offs and took back their offers. My friend's brother is a mechanical engineering major (Junior) and both him and his roommate had big summer internships, but my friend told me that a lot of companies aren't hiring interns this year because they are struggling to keep their full-time employees who have been there a long time. My mom said there is a lady at her work who's nephew is graduating from wpi this year in chemical engineering and the only job offer he has had was paying barely over min. wage. Yep, these are all good students. The ones at rpi is in their version of honors program. ok, i need sleep.</p>
<p>On a more cheerful note, I got into WPI! Chances are I'll end up at a UC though. Has anyone gotten a need-based grant from WPI itself for more than 5k? Their merit scholarships are smaller than Case and cwru was expensive enough.</p>