<p>I am majoring in Engineering ~ will declare field in Sophmore year (chemical or mining). I chose WVU over Penn State because of the money I received from WVU. I qualified for (per year):</p>
<p>a) 1 of 20 Academic Excellence L1 Waivers $8,000
b) WVU Acad Enhancement Grant $2500
c) WVU Academic Grant $1000
d) outside scholarship $1000</p>
<p>Total cost with estimated maintenance (toiletries, clothes, gas), room/board (cost of living for commuter), books, loan fee, and tuition and fees is $19,424.00 After I deduct the maintenance and room and board (since I am staying at home), it is relatively free!! I did qualify for a federal loan ~ I will take that and pay it off with my excess funds and job to get a good credit rating, and should graduate debt free. </p>
<p>I am OOS, so I am very happy with this. Penn State offered nothing in comparison!! I am leaving behind their offer and a $1000 scholarship won in 8th grade for the MathCounts competition. Their tuition is slightly more than WVU (since I am OOS). This is for one of their smaller campuses. I can't imagine what it would have been if I wanted to go up to State College for the first year.</p>
<p>I am valedictorian of my class of 272 and have high AP scores, AP Computer Science 5, AP Chemistry 4, waiting for AP English Lit, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Am Government, Penn State Honors Scholar with 3 college courses taken through school year, plus one more this summer. Hopefully they transfer...I tried to pick classes that would be transferrable.</p>
<p>Fortunately, I live about 20 minutes from WVU in PA and am planning to commute to save more money. Since I live within the mile limit, I do not have to stay on campus for my Freshman year.</p>
<p>I could have received an additional $3,000/year more if I signed a waiver to accept a job in WV for each year that I accept this money ~ but I wanted to leave my options open. Next year may be a different story.</p>
<p>I am taking up engineering ~ their programs have tons of money to pass out next year. They just received $3.1 million for their engineering programs. I don't know if it is for certain engineering programs, but this is why I started to consider the mining engineering. Really big in our area!! They are throwing money at this like crazy.</p>