<p>Errr...
No one has any comment about the tuition going up to $38,100?</p>
<p>Well, the tuition going up doesn't really surprise me, nor should it really, because the tuition goes up every year by some percentage. I'm actually happy that the tuition increase is smaller than in previous years.</p>
<p>Most schools have seen increases in their tuition. It is just harder to take right now since the enconomy is not keeping pace</p>
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Don't know where you got that but thank you for posting
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<p>It was an email sent to all people currently attending/working at RPI. I currently study here (and, I guess, technically work here too), so that's my source.</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm glad you found it useful.</p>
<p>There's no reason to not believe Cesium's quote, but if it helps I confirm it as well, I got the email too</p>
<p>Joshua & Cesium
Now that we actually have 2 current students on this blog I hope you can answer a few questions for me.</p>
<p>Are you recieving "value" for your $38,100 in tuition. </p>
<p>Do you think you will be able to recover the cost of attendance because you went to RPI instead of elsewhere? </p>
<p>My main concern is that even with a 1/2 scholarship the cost of attendance will sadle us with loans that will affect lifestile for years to come.</p>
<p>Unlessof couse employers are hungry for RPI grads and the loans can be repaid easily.</p>
<p>I think I will best be able to answer your first question in approximately 5-6 months. For that second question, you may have to wait about 4 years for me to get back to you.</p>
<p>Sorry about that... I start there next school year</p>
<p>I'm the mom of a current freshman. I now know where the "letter" came from :)<br>
My daughter did receive it and forwarded a copy to me a few days after it was posted here so I too can verify it legitimacy.</p>
<p>Value of the school? I believe so but I suppose for many that will boil down to a personal opinion. You have great students graduate out of all schools big/small, private and public- just like in inner city high schools and suburban high schools. But I believe it can give some students an edge if the enviroment suits them better and the school's reputation is better known. There are a few interesting threads over in the Engineering Major section of College Confidential if you want to try reading through there. There is a lot that comes in to the decision when it comes right down to it. We could not decide based on dollars alone- there are so many other factors.</p>
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Are you recieving "value" for your $38,100 in tuition.
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Yeah, I think so. First off tuition isn't exactly $38k after scholarships and such (but it is still a generously sized, unfortunately). </p>
<p>I was always among the 'smart kids' at my high school and, while that hasn't changed all too much, I now am able to work with a lot more students with similar interests and capabilities as myself, which I think is extremely beneficial. I'm not sure I would have been able to find that at my state's college (as it isn't particularly good), and it would probably have been the thing I missed most had I been required to transfer. The way that any conversation I have can spontaneously turn into a math/physics/comp sci conversation, and an interesting one nonetheless, is great. Of course, if you're not into that sort of thing, you can easily find a group of friends that find something besides Hamiltonians to talk about.</p>
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Do you think you will be able to recover the cost of attendance because you went to RPI instead of elsewhere?
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As compared to most places, yes... I think so. My plans are to attend graduate school at some point, and going to RPI gives me a good shot of getting in where I want to with a nice package. This alone is worth a significant amount, as these packages can potentially result in the university paying the student handsomely, with tuition and such wavered. Beyond that, I think the both skill set acquired here and having 'RPI' on my resume instead of some unknown institution will be very beneficial in applying for essentially any job.</p>
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My main concern is that even with a 1/2 scholarship the cost of attendance will sadle us with loans that will affect lifestile for years to come.</p>
<p>Unlessof couse employers are hungry for RPI grads and the loans can be repaid easily. </p>
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</p>
<p>Obviously, I don't know your personal financial situation, but perhaps you can do something about the cost of attendance? Firstly, you could try appealing for a higher scholarship before attending... I know of at least two people for which these appeals have succeeded. One thing you can do while attending is try to graduate early... attending for 7 semesters instead of 8 will result in a significant difference. If you end up paying $20k a year for 3 and a half years, your total cost will be $70k, which you should be able to accrue over a few while living reasonably (assuming, of course, that you do decently and find a good job). </p>
<p>While the current economic downturn has led to fewer requests for employees in general (including RPI grads), I think it's a reasonable assumption that you will be able to find a job when you graduate 4+ years from now. If the economy is still in the toilet, you can defer slightly more if you decide to attend a graduate school, which (as mentioned above), doesn't cost much. A decent stipend should allow you to stay on par with your debts.</p>
<p>Now, I'm not feeling well, so I don't know if I was coherent or not, but I hope that helps.</p>
<p>xNYer, I am also an RPI student, currently a freshman, and I am from NYC. About the letter- it's legit as everyone has received it.</p>
<p>Now about your concerns:</p>
<p>I am very lucky and grateful to be attending the school as I come from a very low income family with a younger sister and a divorced mother. Fortunately, I was able to receive a very generous financial aid package from RPI covering most of the cost along with $7,500 in student loans. Since I am also in NY state, I received the TAP so my mother is paying about $3,000-$4,000 a year due to the extra expenses (traveling, health, insurance, etc). I am pretty much paying a state school price for an RPI education so the value is definitely worth it.</p>
<p>Since the school has a much larger financial aid budget, you should definitely ask for more by stating your circumstances. It's always worth a shot and can end really well. Honestly, the tuition does get a lot smaller after you take into account the scholarships and aid.</p>
<p>Recovering the cost of attendance? I believe I will as long as I do well in school and continue to pursue my interests. There are a lot of resources here that I haven't even touched yet and I hope to do so in the near future. I'll have to graduate first so we'll see what happens down the road.</p>
<p>Loans are my biggest concern as well regarding the school, but I believe it'll all be worth it. By the time I graduate, I will have roughly $20k-$30k in loans. I hope to take less as a sophomore and beyond by working in the summer and/or applying for scholarships.</p>
<p>As for the economy, as long as I work hard and take the opportunities presented to me at school, I know I'll be well off and have nothing to regret.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the replies.</p>
<p>A follow up question:
How close does RPI come in meeting your EFC from FAFSA?</p>
<p>A rather irrelevant question: What's with this photo at studAnt-rev?</p>
<p><a href="http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1983/rpi.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/1983/rpi.jpg</a></p>
<p>@xNYer</p>
<p>Somebody from RPI posted their total fin aid in this thread and it covered total cost of tuition.</p>
<p>xNYer: It left me with exactly my EFC.</p>
<p>Dork^3: I'm guessing that's a frat.</p>