<p>Students may also be considered for the following need-based award:</p>
<p>The Stevens Grant is a need-based award that may be offered if a student continues to demonstrate significant financial need after all other possible sources of grant and scholarship assistance (from Stevens, the U.S. Department of Education, or the State of NJ) have been applied to his/her financial aid package. The student must be a full-time undergraduate and eligibility is determined based on the data the student and his/her family supply on the FAFSA. Amounts can fluctuate from one year to the next if financial circumstances change. The Stevens Grant has no specific grade point average requirement other than the Institute’s standards for satisfactory academic progress. Students must complete a FAFSA each year by April 15th to confirm their eligibility.</p>
<p>Rualum’s educated guess is pretty close. The Edwin A.Stevens Scholarship was 19,000 in our case, plus offer of 4+1 Masters (which implies that student is in top 25% of applicants).</p>
<p>Question: What are the various benefits of the 4+1 Masters (financial and otherwise). We are not a family that knows much about engineering, so we are unaware of the benefit of a Masters degree in engineering. Is one required?</p>
<p>I’m interested in that question as well, the Lafayette tour explains how if you want a masters it is not only free there, but should be everywhere as it includes a lot of research and the school pays for it…</p>
<p>I am also guessing that you are offered 4 + 1 Masters if you indicate that you plan to seek a Masters or higher degree (they ask you that somewhere on the application). Did anyone indicate that they were seeking a Bachelors and get offered 4 + 1 Masters? I’m just curious.</p>
<p>I never heard of 4 + 1 before now. When I asked what it meant, caller told me, “you can get your Masters in 5 years instead of 6”. Nothing about when you take the extra classes or if the extra classes or free. We’ll have to ask after the holidays as they are closed until Jan 2.</p>
<p>I don’t know how to say this without sounding crass…but there is hardly any info about the program on here and if anyone wants info or wants to share their knowledge, I just wanted to put it out here.
My son was offered the Stevens Scholars Program which includes either a four-year dual major or combined Bachelors/Masters OR Research Projects.</p>
<p>What do you want to know about Scholars? See the recently posted Scholars thread. I can answer some of your questions as my son is doing it now.</p>
<p>Yes, I think Rualum is on target again. The savings would be that you get a masters degree and only pay for that one extra year, instead of two. You save a year’s tuition. I am thinking that the first year of the masters classes is taken during the last two years of the bachelors. That is a significant savings. It is also more stress during the bachelors years and I still don’t know how a masters is considered by employers in the field. Of course, more education is never a bad thing. It does delay getting a job by another year, and it delays it by two years if you do co-op plus masters ( my son was told that is 6 years). I am sure we will figure out all the options in time. Options are good…</p>
<p>It depends on your major, too. We went to the Computer Science information day and the feeling we got from listening/talking to the current/former students was that it was not worth it to go for the masters degree for CS. They wanted to get out and work, and as they are in demand they were successful in getting good coops/jobs.</p>
<p>The ones we talked to wanted to get out of school in 4 years, rather than 5 or 6.</p>
<p>Lots to learn. I am sure there will be events coming up where we can get more information. At another University we were told that the field was moving toward the masters as the entry degree, especially in civil engineering, where they are moving toward requiring it. Very exciting for our kids, who have a lot of options and decisions. I wish I new more engineers…</p>
<p>Look on the left side of this page where it says, “Discussion Menu”. Under that, click on “Discussion Home”. A page will come up that shows all the forums. Scroll down til you see ‘college majors’ and then click on ‘engineering’.</p>
<p>I know on the financial aid website they said, “If the awards that you are offered in your financial aid package do not add up to the amount you need to cover your educational costs, you may wish to look into the various available alternative financing options. These options include private education loan programs for parents and/or students and monthly payment plans. If you feel that you and your family have serious extenuating or unusual financial circumstances, you may submit a letter of appeal to the Financial Aid Office so that your aid package may be reviewed.” </p>
<p>Where can I find these other alternative financial options? Should I directly speak to the Financial Aid Office? Do we take loans out from the school or a bank? I applied ED, and got an early estimate of my financial aid; I have already filled the FAFSA so when do I find out what the concrete package is? I may want my package to be reviewed again.</p>
<p>I am an only child, and my mother studied in Peru while my father never completed high school. I really am not sure how this process works, and neither do are they. My intention is to be completely responsible for paying off my education, which will be difficult but that is my goal. </p>