My son was admitted into TCNJ, which I was very happy about. I was wondering when they will let us know about potential scholarships and/or financial aid. Also, how will they let us find out - email, letter, online???
I have heard from others who already know about scholarships. They are only running in the $5,000 to $7000 category though. Nothing like Rowan’s $15,000 a year merit aid.
The generally send an email about any supplementary scholarships on top of anything you received upon admission. It’s usually very minimal because the tuition is roughly $15,000.
Ok. Thanks. I guess that answers my question on scholarships. But what about need based aid?
@NJRoadie - do you know someone who received $15K from Rowan? If so, was it all merit and would you mind sharing their stats? My D has very good stats, but they only gave her $3500 merit.
Hi @jjmom1
Here are some stats and info for you. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me or reply. I have two kids there, my foster son is a sophomore and my daughter is a freshman (but in the degree in 3 year program, so they’ll graduate together). I admit I’ve let some of the fine details slide off my brain 
there is only so much I can retain LOL. I am an alum of TCNJ / Trenton State College to me and I adore that school, but Rowan is growing on me fast and was much more affordable for my family.
Here is what I can recall.
My daughter was awarded $11,500 a year in 2016 - her SATs were 1260 (old version, no writing score) class rank and GPA 3.7/3.9 (weighted/unweighted).
Her best friend was awarded $14,500 in 2016 as well. Her SATs were considerably higher (1450ish), her class rank and GPA were also higher. I apologize, but I don’t recall the exact numbers.
Be aware - both of these awards were higher than the original merit offer, we don’t know why, but it may have to do with the school’s benefactor Henry Rowan, dying last Jan 2016. The merit offers were raised out of the blue with no explanation. We had already committed, and yet got more money.
My foster son, in 2015, had virtually the same stats as my daughter, but his merit was considerably less. Luckily he is a Gates Millennium Scholar, so it didn’t matter.
I am talking with someone here on CC @willc who said he was offered $15,000 for this year 2017. I do not know his stats, but he was also accepted to Lehigh. I also have a friend whose daughter was offered $13,500 this year, but I’m not certain of her stats (I can ask).
I would reach out to them politely and see if they can offer a little more. It never hurts. Someone on here last year did that and got more money. I don’t know if they posted about it, but if you look back thru my posts you may find it. (You can click on my user name, screen comes up, look in the upper left corner and I think it says “Threads” and “Replies” and search everything I’ve ever posted).
The other pieces of advice I would give.
- Find out what the on campus portal is for jobs. My daughter got a job within 2 weeks of being on campus ,and it is not a “work study” job in the need-based sense. Pays $11 an hour, on campus, flex hours, in her major. She loves it. She got her second job (yes, an overachiever) that pays her by deducting half of her room bill (saving us $4,500). Again, work is well within her capabilities and she enjoys it.
- After the first semester, you can cut the meal plan down to the lowest cost option. We took the difference and are giving it to her in deposited cash - she can spend it at the dining hall or she can use it for take out/ShopRite trip whatever. It is teaching her some budgeting skills too with a safety net :)
- Do NOT buy books before they start class. just don't. She insisted on doing that first semester, and wasted probably $150 :( She didn't repeat that, and sure enough, two professors decided they didn't really mean they were going to teach from that expensive book....
- Start cutting thru the apron strings/umbilical cord/shut the helicopter off. I don't know you, please don't take this personally, but to anyone reading this - do your kid and yourselves a favor and back off. Here is what I mean -
http://amycarney.com/blog/walk-away-from-doing-these-8-things-for-your-teen-this-school-year/
Best of luck!
My stats:
1450 new SAT 710 verbal 740 math
Gpa 3.65uw4.0w
3 season xcountry indoor and outdoor track
Band wind ensemble
To my knowledge @njdad70 the only need based aid TCNJ offers is what the government offers - Pell, NJ TAG, EOF program. To get those you have to be very poor. I am not an expert, but to my knowledge this is it.
I know they have a scholarship based on volunteerism (active on campus) Bonner Scholarship.
I googled just now and did find this, you had to complete the FAFSA by 2/15 to be eligible and already been awarded a merit scholarship:
Lion’s Pride Need-Based Scholarships
https://admissions.tcnj.edu/resources-for/instatescholarships/
My parents make too much money to qualify for need-based scholarship. My older sister is in college also. I will not be working during the school year only in the summer.
We contacted Tcnj admissions and were advise that the maximum amount of merit aid they give apart from financial need is 6k
My parents left it up to me which one to go to. With the understanding of course that I will come out with some more debt if I go to TCNJ. Both Rowan and TCNJ are better values than Lehigh or Stevens. Of course I want to maximize my job opportunities as well after I get out of school
Neither Stevens or Lehigh campus has the edge over the State schools. My consideration of them at this point is purely whether the added cost is justified and will translate into better opportunities upon graduation
@willc Congratulations on your acceptances and fabulous merit awards! May I ask if Lehigh offered any merit for your incredible stats? I will share with you that my DS is at junior at Rowan and part of the Honors Program. He could not be happier there!!
@willc
I received $8000 merit award from TCNJ.
@NJRoadie @willc Thank you both so much for your information. NJRoadie - wow my D’s stats are exactly (and I mean exactly) the same as your D’s. She is also in the top 15% of her class and has received the NJ Stars scholarship and higher merit from other NJ state schools ($6K from one and full tuition from another). She got no merit from TCNJ or Rutgers. Do you think that the higher scholarships could be used as justification for asking for more money from Rowan, or is it a better idea to just ask if her offer could be reconsidered? Thanks for the other advice. Although this isn’t my first kid in college, it’s always good to remind myself to keep loosening those apron strings for their benefit and my sanity! Thanks again for all the great info!
@EverythingIsBlue what are your stats/activities and what year did you graduate? I’ve also heard that 6K is the top number, so I’m really curious if that is not true, and where the stat line is! Do you have financial need?
@jjmom1 What schools gave her money? I know Ramapo had a $10K scholarship for my foster son.
What did Rowan offer her? LIke I said her offer went up quite a bit, as did her friends, but I still don’t know why.
Glad I could be of help - always glad to pass along anything I can to help out the next parent!
@NJRoadie - William Paterson gave her full tuition, Stockton gave her $6K. Rowan offered $3500.
Back to the original question, my financial aid came out last week.
@acron611 What financial aid offer did you receive?