<p>I'm an upcoming college junior who was awarded a full-tuition scholarship as an incoming freshman. The scholarship did not meet my family's estimated need, but we made ends meet anyway, by living a modest lifestyle and avoiding unnecessary expenses. However, tuition has increased quite a bit since I enrolled, while my scholarship has stayed the same. The gap is now up to 3, 000, and while I suppose that we could cover this (I just got a small teaching fellowship), and realize that in this economy everybody has to make sacrifices, I am also quite surprised that the scholarship is staying the same. Is this situation normal? Do college usually increase scholarships proportionally to tuition?</p>
<p>PS: I am truly grateful for the scholarship, but I just feel like the extra 3k could also pay for great things, such as housing while I am doing a summer research program or internship, or a laptop which I still do not have, maybe driving lessons, or just enable me not to have to count every dollar.</p>
<p>My daughter’s partial tuition scholarship has stayed the same through her 3 years at her school. The college was upfront on the amount staying the same when it was awarded. The tuition has gone up each year. </p>
<p>She has contributed by taking out the max amount of unsub Staffords each year (we cover interest), applying for “current student” scholarships, and moving to an on-campus apartment (cheaper than dorm, no meal plan). The add’l scholarship covered most of this year’s increase and we picked up the rest.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, when you were awarded your scholarship, no one advised you to ask whether this was going to be a fixed amount that wouldn’t change from one year to the next, or if it was going to cover a fixed percentage of some specific line item or items. Do stop by your financial aid office and get the details now. There may be something they can do to help you out, there may not. But do ask.</p>
<p>My son’s scholarship specifies that it covers full tuition for eight semesters. He was offered a few other scholarships at different colleges that offered X amount of dollars for eight semesters, which would mean that increases in tuition would not be covered. </p>
<p>Look carefully at the paperwork associated with your scholarship or go to the financial aid office. Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Son’s scholarship specified a certain dollar amount for 4 semesters of a masters program.
The amount was full tuition for the first year, renewable for the second with satisfactory academic progress.
The tuition increased the second year but his scholarship did not. I admit to being a bit surprised but of course his paperwork DID specify exactly what would happen.
We were so grateful for the award and only had to supplement it for one more year.</p>
<p>I can certainly see that the effect is magnified over 3 more years for undergrad.
Definately check with the FA office to be sure.</p>
<p>My s’s full tuition scholarship adjusted up every year with the increase in tuition. We were told up front that it would. Other scholarships that are offered there are fixed amounts and do not adjust up with tuition. I agree that yo should read whatever you can find on your school’s site about your scholarship and talk to FA.</p>
<p>This is why it is important to ask a lot of questions about financial aid offers. My son was offered full rides at several colleges but they differed dramatically, from everything plus spending money and educational enrichment money plus a summer at Oxford to tuition and books paid but housing and travel covers by loans and work study. One place did offer full coverage of a certain amount but acknowledged that over time it wouldn’t keep up with expenses. Even the well endowed schools offered fill rides with thousands of dollars of differences perhaps because there was a minimum student contribution. Then again, special scholarships sometimes trumped that contribution. Just saying know in advance what you ate getting and what you must cover. For discrepancies, try applying for scholarships from your hometown, state, or association from your field of study. If you have done well in school, you might be a shoo in.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for your answers! I will inquire. I mostly just surprised. How would a 17-years old know to ask this sort of details? It is certainly a bit sneaky for colleges to be doing this. If not only living costs increase while both my and my parent’s per hour income have stayed the same, but tuition and dorm fees also dramatically increase (if you add them both, by bill is now about 5,000 more than when I started college, and I’m only finishing my sophomore year!!!) while already borderline insufficient scholarships stay the same, it’s no wonder that so many people have to drop out of school for money reasons. Sad.</p>
<p>That sounds worrisome & I hope you get some welcome news. FWIW, my son’s full ride is supposed to increase each year if necessary to keep pace with tuition & housing inflation.</p>
<p>In fairness, I don’t consider it “sneaky”. Most scholarships will indicate if they are a fixed price or if they adjust with the increase in tuition. What does your school’s website say?</p>
<p>I am surprised about lack of upper classmen scholarships. Usually, awards go up. However, students need to apply to them. My D’s awards went up substantially because of Returning students Merit awards (qualification is college GPA=3.8+) and departmental awards (set aside primarily for seniors, maybe some amount to juniors). Both require application. These are awarded for one year. D. has mentioned that most do not apply thinking that they will not get any, so it is even better for those who take their time and apply.</p>
<p>many schools have very limited and sometimes one-time awards for continuing students. My older son won the award for being the top math student at the school, and he was only awarded a one time $800 award. Schools tend to reserve their merit for incoming frosh.</p>
<p>Yes, some schools do not adjust their “full tuition” scholarships, but the websites usually say that in the fine print. My kids’ undergrad does adjust all full tuition, half tuition, and 2/3 tuition scholarships. But the scholarships for “set amounts” do not adjust.</p>
<p>I agree, $800 is not making much difference financially, but it is a great honor, my D. got similar $500 award - kids do not apply to these type, they are nominated. I was talking about regular “returning student” awards and “departmental” awards that they have to apply. Most awards at D’s public UG were from Private donations anyway, she had close to 10 covering her full tuition, most of them had family name of donors. None of additional were available without application. We know that, because one year she missed deadline by 4 days and she got no additional awards next year.<br>
D. got $500 award at graduation as the most outstanding pre-med. It was also from private donor and did not require application, D. was nominated by her dean. That was a great Honor and recognition.</p>
<p>As a sophomore, our DS was awarded a one time $1000 continuing student scholarship.
It was given by his department. He was very pleased to accept it and understood that awards for upperclassmen were rare at his school.</p>
<p>As my son would say, “I feel you.” His scholarship was full tuition for his first year but it is a set dollar amount and does not include those ambiguous “Fees”. Every year his scholarship will be a smaller percentage of the whole.</p>
<p>Yes, it is common. Not always, but is common. Something to ask when you are awarded a scholarship. Whether it is automatically renewed, if there are contigencies and what they are for renewal and if the amounts stay the same or are adjusted per tuition increases. I don’t think it’s fair that the college called it a full tuition scholarship and did not make it clear that it was a set dollar amount scholarship that covers the first year tuition fully, but does not increase in subesequent years, but I guess your school did that. I would let the offices know this because it really should have been made clear.</p>
<p>I’m an old timer in that college was 40 years ago for me. Back then the NMS awards covered full tuition the first year and many if not most colleges would pick up the award for subesequent years when they accepted such a scholar. The dollar amounts of those awards have stayed the same, and now schools won’t even pick up that paltry amount (as compared to many private school tuitions) for subsequent years. Many “name” scholarships at school that used to be very generous ones, are no longer so generous in that the amounts have remained the same while costs have risen so. I remember the sinking feeling I got when one of my kids got what I felt and still feel is a great award of $30K, and realizing that the remaining cost was still higher than what State U would cost and no small amount to have to pay.</p>
<p>OP is specifically asking about “full tuition” schloarship, not some departmental or research aid that schools give out. Assuming each school is different, one student’s experience in getting 800 at one school is not really answering OP’s question. </p>
<p>It is important to read the fine print when accepting a scholarship. If it is not clear it is best to ask upfront. One should view it as a financial transaction: how much is a school paying in exchange to get a wonderful student they would otherwise get. If the language was ambiguous, and your understanding was full tuition, then I would go back to the school to ask them to live up to it.</p>
<p>"OP is specifically asking about “full tuition” schloarship, not some departmental "
-Departmental are getting added to others and are significant awards. The same goes for Returning Student Merit awards. My D. was also on full tuition Merit and added $4000 to that just because she has applied, next year she missed deadline and did not get any additional, then she got similar for her senior year. I hear that from many parents. Good students get rewarded substantially later on in addition to all renewables that they have for 4 years.
I am stressing it, because as I have mentioned, many do not apply and it is a big mistake. They get notified thru emails and most do not pay any attention to them. Do not do this mistake, apply to everything that is available.</p>