<p>I gather from various other posts here that RPI doesn't meet full need for quite a few students. However, my DS is a Medalist, and his package does meet full need with only Stafford Loans. Is it common for them to meet need for medalists? (DS has very strong stats.)</p>
<p>When he got the medal I naively assumed that he might actually be able to graduate with no loans at all and/or we might have had to pay less than EFC. (I don't mean to be insensitive to those who have been "gapped" and are expected to pay more that EFC.) I guess that doesn't happen?
So if he gets into CMU or UPenn, both of which have pledged to meet full need, the medalist award really wouldn't make much difference financially?</p>
<p>A couple of other questions -- I think the package didn't include any work study -- are freshmen eligible to take work study even if it's not included?</p>
<p>Also, while the laptop was included in the costs (although he already has one) books were not. That seemed like a significant omission.</p>
<p>Only schools that pledge to meet full need without loans won’t include loans but very often meeting full need will include loans.</p>
<p>Did you indicate on the FAFSA that you would consider work study? If not I don’t think they include it, it could be something you would want to ask about as I know they included it for my D.</p>
<p>They include the laptop since they likely require all incoming students to have the same one so it matches the specs they require. Books however, like transportation, etc are variable and not always included in the FA breakdown.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t necessarilly expect though for UPenn and CMU to not include loans since they may pledge to meet full need but I don’t think either pledges to meet them with no loans and I have heard UPenn is wacky with FA.</p>
<p>My D received a great merit award and grant but with the total COA so high I don’t know that the resulting total is worth the loans we’d be taking out but it is still a school we are considering.</p>
<p>The best thing to do is compare all schools aid awards on equal terms and go from there - hopefully you’ll find a couple options that work well, and call the FA offices and ask if you have any questions</p>