For those that might be interested, Rowan’s admitted students financial aid is up on the students portal (if you have accepted admission). Therefore letters probably went out today for admitted students. COA has an approximate 3% increase in tuition, 2% increase in Board and a 32% increase in housing. Overall about $3,000 total increase. I know there is a new dorm but that increase for housing is a shocker.
To add to my above statement, I was thinking (and hoping) that the estimated cost of housing is an average of the housing offered at Rowan. Therefore freshman housing will be lower (upperclassman housing on campus is over $10,000/year).
I believe some freshman will be living in HoPoCo (the new dorm) so they may also have the higher cost.
Good thing Rowan raised their merit aid offers right?!
BTW - thank you @Lehighmother for the heads up about the costs being available. You are right on the room cost shooting up! I wonder if they’ll adjust if they kid is living in Evergreen vs. HoPoCo?
My son applied to Rowan just to have an instate financial safety. He applied to five other, higher rated private schools and they were all cheaper, by $5,000 a year to $10,000 a year. He received merit awards from the others. He didn’t get one penny from Rowan.
There is no way Rowan is worth the money for us.
@OnTheBubble What were your S’s stats, where else was he accepted and what were those aid offers/costs? I am curious as Rowan gave out a lot of merit aid this year. They doubled my D’s offer. Her stats are 4.0 weighted GPA, 18 AP credits (all 4 and 5s), leadership role in student newspaper, significant volunteer activities (Presidential Volunteer award winner for this), SAT scores were ok (CR/M was 1260). She was given $11,500 a year merit aid. Her friend with higher SAT, GPA and class rank (but less leadership/volunteer) was offered $19,500 a year.
@NJRoadie 3.6 UW GPA, 28 ACT.
All COA, no debt, no loans
Siena - 26k
Scranton - 28k
St. Michael’s - 27k
St. Bonaventure - 19.5k
St.Anselm - 26k
So Rowan at around 30k was not a good deal for us. After visiting private schools, it made no sense for us.
@OnTheBubble - so no SAT score? You may want to ask for them to look at the ACT. Our FS did that and they gave him additional money (his SAT score was lower than his ACT, comparably). Just a thought, if you liked Rowan, if not, enjoy your school of choice 
A 28 ACT is just below 2,000 SAT and they did convert it. I was very surprised how competitive private schools are with NJ students.
His friend with similar stats applied to Rutgers and got bus fare. No sense staying instate. I don’t think the evaluation is purely merit.
Rowan’s website is very clear that merit aid is only given if sats are taken. You can apply with acts or without any standardized tests but you will not be considered for merit aid.
NJRoadie, what is your daughters major because my sons stats are a tad bit higher and he did not get an increase in his scholarship. I’m want to write to admissions and ask. It could be because he committed to soon! When he makes up his mind, that’s it. Unlike my daughters, he doesn’t think about it too long. Im fine with the current cost But would like to know what made them increase others. It could be the major they choose, this years Engineering applicants were a record high and I know students who didn’t get in but got into TCNJ (but with no aid). Therefore the merit aid might not have been as high as other majors.
She is Marketing, but was originally accepted into Business Management. She is going to do the degree in 3 program, but that was not known to them when they increased her offer. She also committed early, and definitely before they increased the award, she has wanted to go there for two years and has been actively working towards making that happen financially, so we were utterly thrilled. She has tremendous volunteer experience, and has won several national awards for her community service. Her friend, whose stats were higher, is majoring in BioInformatics, and her offer was increased too, 19,500 a semester.
I don’t think it is because he committed too soon, is he engineering? I bet that is why. Can’t hurt to ask for a financial review though I honestly do not think the admissions office even talks to financial aid, or at least it sure doesn’t seem like it to me - like I said, financial aid had no idea she was a go for the degree in three years program 
@Lehighmother above post meant for you
@NJRoadie Thank you for your response. Interesting that she committed early too. I already sent an email yesterday to admissions, I am not expecting an increase but I’m the type that has to at least say my mind. My son has a nearly perfect math SAT score, not so high for CR but still above average. GPA is about 4.12 weighted. I think the math is so much more important for engineering but until your posts I believed they only used their merit tables to determine scholarships. He will be entering his freshman year with 33 credits from BCC. He took 3 APs and 5 classes at BCC.
Either way I’m still excited about him going to Rowan. It is the perfect school for him. He will be living in Holly Pointe in the engineering living community. He didn’t want to apply to honors because of his dislike for all things not math. He is eligible for the ELC STEM scholarship but it’s based on financial need and we don’t have any except for the Stafford loans. It’s so different this time around for us because at Lehigh my girls were “poor”. We qualified for everything need oriented. With second daughter graduating maybe I need to change my name on CC.
Again, thank you for all the info you provide here. It’s very appreciated!
I did not know that Rowan will only look at SAT for merit aid. Is this common? My OOS S will only be taking the ACT. Guess he’ll be crossing Rowan off the list. Too bad, looks like a good program.
@Stem2017 When my son was looking into Rowan he had taken the ACTs and didn’t like the format. We found that the Rowan site for merit scholarships clearly said ACT scores would not be considered. He had already decided to take SATs and did so much better. That site no longer says ACTs are not considered. It doesn’t list ACT scores but I think they might have done away with that requirement so you should still consider Rowan. I would email and ask if they convert the scores.
I also always suggest taking both tests unless your first scores are fantastic.
@Lehighmother Good suggestions, thanks. My son has taken practice SATs and ACTs. He does much better on ACTs so he will focus on that test. He’s already overloaded so we won’t pile the SAT on top of everything else.
@STEM2017 I live in NJ. The best merit play and value proposition in the NY area for engineering is Manhattan College. Not only value but outright earnings. You are OOS.
Lehighmother, check to see how they look at 33 credits will he be a freshman or a transfer student
that can change scholarship too
@fleishmo6 He will be a freshman with sophomore academic standing, which doesn’t really mean anything because he will still go for 4 years. He was part of the Jump Start and CAP programs which lets a high school student earn credits at high school or at BCC. I do believe in most cases transfer students don’t get as much merit aid but high schoolers with AP can get better aid. I made sure that after he finished high school in January he didn’t take 12 or more credits so he wouldn’t be a transfer student.
Good glad to hear. Did not want to see you get screwed on scholarship money if there was a certain number of credits that put you over the edge. The CAP Program is great for in state schools. My guys had the classes but their schools would not allow so we chose not to pay. Good for you guys. Rowan has a great reputation for engineering.
Best of luck