<p>ous son did get additional merit aid in addition to the $15k Medal scholarship. He is receiving a $3000/yr Legacy Scholarship and a $7,000/yr Leadership scholarship.</p>
<p>I think the RM scholarship may have helped him to get additional merit aid at other colleges he applied to as he was offered $372,000 in merit awards total. The only college that failed to offer him significant merit scholarship was Oberlin College. He did apply to Case and was awarded a $17k/yr Trustees(?) scholarship.</p>
<p>The nice thing about all his RPI scholarships is none require him to maintain a minimum gpa. While he is doing really good and is not be an issue, he didn't know that before he enrolled and it was one reason he did not seriously consider attending Case.</p>
<p>So Originaloog, can I assume that the legacy scholarship is because one of his parents attended RPI? What about the leadership scholarship? Is this something that needs an application, or is it automatically considered? Do you mind sharing what other colleges your son applied to that he received financial aid at? </p>
<p>Our daughter is very seriously considering RPI, and we are visiting there next Friday.</p>
<p>Congratulations to your son on his merit aid awards, that is outstanding.
And how does he like RPI?</p>
<p>is the legacy scholarship given to kids of rpi students automatically or must the qualify it? if they have to qualify, what are the necessary stats, if any?</p>
<p>RatedPG-the Leadership scholarship came from out of the blue. He didnt even know it existed until he received his finaid package. However he did not qualify for any need based aid so this may have factored in too.</p>
<p>His other merit awards ranged from $6000/yr at our state university and ranged from $12,500 to $17,000 from Allegheny, Wooster, Ohio Wesleyan, and Case. He got a nominal merit scholarship from Oberlin too.</p>
<p>He really enjoys RPI and is in Troy this weekend. He moved off campus with 10 friends after frosh year and likes the rowhouse they are renting, particularly the $4000+/year he is saving for room and board.
He is finding the academics to be challenging bit managable as long as one keeps up with the workload. Most profs seem very approachable and our son is on a first name basis with most of his. He has two academic advisors because he is in an interdisciplinary program of study and both have been very helpful. Hopefully they will be able to give him excellent guidance as he begins considering what to tackle for his senior thesis.</p>
<p>The Legacy scholarship is funded by the alumni assn and is automatic as long as they know the student is a parental legacy.</p>
<p>Just a word about the aid RPI gives you and they tend to give a lot. I've never heard of it going down (unless you fail out), but it never really increases with tuition as one goes through school. So the value of the RPI award will decrease slightly over 4 years it takes to earn a degree.</p>
<p>My guidance counselor just informed me that she selected me for the RPI Medal. I looked on the RPI website and it shows that my school did make a selection. Is it once your nominated by your school are you automatically a medal winner?
Also, will I receive something in the mail that tells me more information about this and the open house?</p>
<p>Yes, you should receive a certificate in the mail from RPI. Also, they sent my daughter a letter stating she is eligible to apply early action (they don't have early action otherwise). We haven't received much info on the open house in September. Congratulations!</p>
<p>I was just nominated by my HS for the Rensselaer Medal. Does recieving the medal guarantee my acceptance to RPI, or is is possible to be declined acceptace even if you are a medal winner? Also, what other merit and need based scholarships does RPI offer; how good are they about meeting your need if you are accepted?</p>
<p>Well congratulation on being nominated for the medal Receiving it does not guarantee acceptance- you still have to actually go through the application process although it’s a bit shorter application. I’m sure your school would not have nominated you if you weren’t qualified. </p>
<p>There is a section on the RPI website about scholarships and financial aid. This past year they increased their budget again for the amount they are giving out in aid to students. It all starts with the FAFSA form so you definitely want to have that done.</p>
<p>Each high school that signs up for the Medal Program gets to nominate one student for the Medal. It is supposed to be the top math / science student in the school.</p>
<p>If you get nominated by your school, you get the Medal (and $15,000 a year merit scholarship) but you still have to go through the application process (acceptance is not automatic):</p>
<p>The Rensselaer Medal is awarded by the committee or individual at your high school that has been selected by your administrator to make the decision. As others have said, Medal recipients are not assured admittance. I’ve known two cases in the past three years where Medal recipients were denied by RPI when they applied for admission. Both were ranked at the top of their classes, with corresponsingly high GPAs, were active members of the school community and were well-liked by their science teachers. Both were also poor standardized test takers.</p>
<p>Yeah some Asian kid won it in our school, taking AP Calculus BC and AP Chemistry as a junior. Probably one of our smartest students. Damn, I wish I got it, I could use the $60,000 scholarship over four years.</p>
<p>SAT: 2170 (M800, CR 710, E660), GPA >4.0 (they use a weighted system 0-100, she’s actually >100). National Honor S. Nat Merit Commendable Scholar (guessing as they’re not announced yet). Takes most advanced classes available including college physics, AP Calc, APUSH, APEng.</p>
<p>But all that said, she’s not the highest scorer in any of the subjects (she’s not far from it for sure). So I think the reason she got it has as much to do with her expressing interest in going there as her stats. </p>
<p>So my advice is to make your guidance councilor award of your interest. After all it doesn’t cost your school anything and I hope that they’d rather award it to someone who’s going to use it as opposed padding the resume of the valedictorian who’s not going there (assuming you’re qualified, of course.)</p>
<p>My daughter received the Medal at our school. She received an email from the College Guidance counselor, which I expect went out to at least 5-10 other very strong science and math students. The school wanted to know who was actually interested in attending RPI first before deciding who should get the Medal.</p>
<p>My daughter is going to RPI…her stats were excellent - SAT, GPA and has taken 8 APs (4 by the end of junior year). She was awarded more than than $15k per year. I think if it had only been $15k per year we would have strongly encouraged her to select another school as she had many other options and 2 full tuition scholarship offers.</p>
<p>That said…she is happy with her choice, we are happy with her choice and RPI here she comes…Why not Change the World! (That is RPI’s slogan and I love it!)</p>
Receiving it does not guarantee acceptance- you still have to actually go through the application process although it’s a bit shorter application. I’m sure your school would not have nominated you if you weren’t qualified. </p>