Important question (CSS vs FAFSA)

<p>Okay! So I got accepted to Early Decision for Rensselaer as a BMED student.</p>

<p>I was honored the Rensselaer Medal, so I recived a total of a 29500/year package. I sent the CSS PROFILE
Here's how it goes</p>

<p>Medal 15000
Federal Perkins Loan 4000
Housing Scholarship 5000
Fed College Work-study 2000
Fed Subsidized Stafford 3500
total 29500</p>

<p>So is this the finalized amount?
or will I recieve some more from the FAFSA (i'm u.s citizen) ?</p>

<p>So is the CSS and FAFSA different? if so, what is difference
Thanks!</p>

<p>RPI awards it's aid using institutional methodology (thus using mostly Profile information). I would guess your award would only change IF your financial information changes on your finalized Profile and your FAFSA. AND this can happen. (DD's EA award went down by $6000 at one school...more than 1/2 of her award, but didn't change at another...schools using the Profile to award THEIR money can do whatever they want to do). Your federal awards (perkins and stafford loan, and work study) will change if the FAFSA is significantly different. That's a nice scholarship from RPI...Congratulations!!!</p>

<p>ahh thanks =) so basically this is the finalized amount "AS OF NOW" right?
so if something changes in our family through FAFSA, some loan info could change. </p>

<p>Also, does FAFSA also give out merit based loan?
THanks!</p>

<p>FAFSA doesn't "give out" any merit aid - all merit aid is institutional. The FAFSA simply indicates your eligibility for federal education funds, in the form of PELL grants (which it looks like you're not eligible for - very low income), Stafford and Perkins loans, and work-study. It appears that you have been awarded the federal aid for which you are eligible, and those shouldn't change unless your final numbers on your tax returns do. (Ours did; my d's Stafford went from subsidized to unsubsidized.)</p>

<p>Any additional aid would have to be given from the school itself.</p>

<p>And congratulations; RPI is a terrific school!</p>

<p>oh i c
what does unsubsidized mean? (lol I'm from Korea... bad english)</p>

<p>Subsidized means that you don't have interest accruing on the loan...the government deals with this. Unsubsidized means that interest begins to accummulate once the loan amount is given to the school. </p>

<p>Question to someone in the know...does the U.S. government really give federal aid to international students?? </p>

<p>Again...congratulations. I think your finaid award from RPI is a very nice one!!</p>

<p>oh great thanks! and thumper, although I am from Korea I was born in NJ lol
New jersey u.s.</p>

<p>Thanks for the clarification happy...and good luck to you.</p>