Tuition Exchange

@mageecrew - we stayed in constant contact with the TE folks at those schools she was admitted to and very interested in but hadn’t received TE. It definitely paid off in this case!!

Whether this works to your benefit depends on the school. Definitely worth checking with the TE liaison at a school about their policies before making a decision on whether to apply for TE or not.

Some of the schools my kids were offered TE at had you choose which award you wanted - either TE or merit. But some others allowed merit to be stacked on top of TE up to the amount of full tuition. Only one school didn’t offer merit as well as TE, but at that school the TE amount was greater than the highest merit scholarship.

Also, do make sure to let schools know as early as possible if you WON’T be taking the TE award, as some do maintain wait lists and can have happy outcomes such as @myjanda. We notified each school as they dropped out of contention - sent the final emails this past weekend now that D has made his decision.

Thanks @InigoMontoya… great to know that stacking is an option in places!

One fear I have about talking to TE Liaison’s is that I might come across as sounding too presumptuous if I asked them if they stack merit or if she possibly qualified for a full tuition on her academic merit could we choose which award to take. I am afraid I would turn them off to my daughter. Is that just being silly on my part? Do you think acting confident about your child’s chances is a good or bad thing when it comes to communicating with colleges?

@mageecrew I think you can ask the FA office without sounding overconfident. I’ve emailed a couple.

Boston University allows stacking and so does USC to a limit.

The TE schools where our son applied all awarded a merit aid package first (in February–a month or more before the TE decision) and then informed us about TE in late March. They did not allow stacking of merit and TE, but did allow stacking of smaller departmental scholarship awards with TE. But it really is school by school. As far as I can tell, there is no standard practice about stacking, number or percentage of TE awards, timing of notifications, etc. across the different TE participating schools.

DD was accepted off a wait listed school AND offered tuition exchange yesterday. So I’ve answered my own question - it DOES happen. Info for future TE seekers…

I’m guessing that’s a school that shows as offering TE to 91-100% of students? We had one school offer TE even before acceptance, but that certainly wasn’t the norm for the other schools where my kids applied.

@InigoMontoya - actually, it’s one of the more selective schools on the TE list overall and one that is listed as giving 10% or less TE, so we were very surprised… I’m not posting this to brag, only to show that there are lots of surprises - some very nice - with this whole TE thing…

That is surprising, but pleasantly so. TE has been a huge benefit for us, but it is challenging - just like other merit money, the rules and competition are so variable… I am glad this is my last go-round with college admissions!

Agree that TE is a great benefit but definitely adds complexity and uncertainty to what is already a stressful situation. D14 got accepted at 4 schools (plus export school which was free tuition) but only received TE from one of the 4 so that is where she is (and loving it).
D16 was accepted EA at one but not given TE, deferred from EA to regular and then given TE at another (both selective schools with 11% - 40% TE offer rate), accepted plus TE at another, accepted w/out TE at another but then given it last week in April out of the blue, and now accepted off WL plus TE from another. So really across the board.

Glad I learned to be more strategic with the second D, and also glad we are two in and done… Anyone with questions on our experience with TE is welcome to pm me. Good luck all!

D16’s college told us they give merit first then fill the balance of tuition with TE. They pointed out this would preserve the merit award, should the TE parent lose the benefit at some point over the four college years.

Also, the merit stays in place if the student takes a semester abroad, which TE does not cover (at this school). So, for that one semester, we’d have to replace TE out of pocket. I’m 99 percent sure they’ll just reinstall the TE the following semester. Must double-check.

And, to take the TE award, the student was required to live on campus.

And, this school awarded TE rather early, then required an answer before other schools’ admissions or TE decisions had been announced.

It seems the school is using TE fairly shrewdly from an enrollment management point of view.

My D16 is just lucky this school is also her dream school. For once, the stars aligned.