<p>I was at TCNJ's accepted students day thing and met up with one of my friends whose a freshman there. He said the Dean sent a letter saying that TCNJ plans on cutting all merit aid offered through their Outstanding Scholar's Recruitment Program for the fall 2006 incoming freshmen. Does anyone know if this true because it really screws things up for me? Its sad when a good out of state school ends up being almost the same cost as in state school.</p>
<p>My son got his TCNJ financial letter a while ago and he did get a full ride under this program. But, he hasn't accepted the offer yet, so maybe he wouldn't have gotten such a letter? I don't think this is true, though, because the same state money funds Rutger's merit scholarships and my son just got their financial letter this past week with scholarship intact.</p>
<p>I've been thinking about this more and wonder if this really could be true because of Corzine's budget?</p>
<p>It is most definitely true and most definitely because of Corzine's budget. A couple classes have been cut at Rutgers already, but scholarships will probably remain intact. We really have to lobby against this everyone... everyone send letters to Corzine DEMANDING him to place a higher emphasis on NJ's higher education.</p>
<p>Good news!</p>
<p>Just spoke by phone with TCNJ's financial aid office. While they will most definitely be losing funding, she assured me that TCNJ would take the hit and stand by their scholarship offers anyway. You're safe, insane_membrane.</p>
<p>Hope so, even for a state college 20k is expensive. NJ has one of the most expensive state college tution rates in NJ. </p>
<p>Yeah my friend said just to be careful, but I think if not this year maybe in the comming years, they will cut out OSRP, because its a huge drain on their finances which would really suck for those students stuck in the middle class crunch.</p>
<p>Even prior to the latest budget cuts, the award letter clearly stated that the scholarship is contingent on state funding. So I would worry about anyone deciding to attend TCNJ or Rutger's instead of a more prestigious university purely for financial reasons, and then next year get told that the scholarship isn't funded any longer. The financial aid officers at both schools said they would honor it for all 4 years, but I'd have to get that in writing before deciding to have my son attend.</p>
<p>Everyone,</p>
<p>Barbara Gittelstein (spelling?) (President of the College) spoke yesterday at TCNJ and assurred all of us anxious parents that yes, she would be standing by her commitment to all student scholarships for all 4 years, as stated in merit letter. She added however, that the money is coming from TCNJ's budget and not from the state, as it would originally have been.</p>
<p>She, also, asked us to communicate with our state legislatures, not Corzine at this point, to protect higher education in the state of NJ!</p>