Potentially! RIT showed me that their COA was projected to go up if I went there, so I wouldn’t be surprised if RPI was the same way due to being a private school. All of RPIs scholarships are renewable thankfully, so I know I’m being supported to an extent each year compared to having only 1 scholarship for all four years from UB (Pride of NY Scholarship).
For freshman year, RPI COA seeks to be cheaper if UB won’t give me more support (11K vs 18K). Sorry for the confusion, 82K for COA would be horrible.
My concerns are about years 2-4 for UB, not RPI. I’d like to attend UB, but all of the scholarship aid from the Honors college is only for 1 year compared to 4 years at RPIs.
I meant better as in the 31K to attend versus RPIs 82K for my first year. The COA currently for UB is 18K vs. RPIs 11K. I’m sorry for the confusion, I just want the option that will prepare me for the workforce and be cheaper in the long run. All of my RPI scholarships are renewable as long as I have a good GPA, and UB only gave me one as of now. The other UB scholarships that I may or may not get are 1 year ones, not for all 4 years such as RPIs.
The following from you clearly states that RPI will be less costly per year…and for all four years.
Both schools will prepare you for the workforce.
I meant better as in the 31K to attend versus RPIs 82K for my first year.
You will NOT be paying 82K to attend RPI and you won’t be paying $31K to attend UB.
You will be paying $11k to attend RPI and $18K to attend UB. And you have said…your aid at RPI is guaranteed all four years assuming you maintain your GPA requirement. BUT you don’t have the same guarantee at UB.
So…clearly…unless I’m reading what you wrote incorrectly, RPI is the better choice financially.
Can you fund the $7000 difference per year if you attend UB?
Thank you for the comment, you didn’t interpret anything incorrectly. I don’t know how to find the 7K difference besides applying for subsidized loans/applying for more scholarships.
I thought Buffalo was less expensive when I wrote the post above.
Can your family comfortably afford both schools with the aid you have received?
Do you need to keep a certain GPA to maintain the scholarships at RPI?
Can you revisit both schools?
Again, both schools can get you where you want to go. Focus on 1) affordability and 2) fit.
With scholarships from my high school and town, both schools would be more feasible with RPI still being the cheaper option. I liked the look of both schools, but prefer UB a bit more due to the diversity of the population. RPI seems like it has a lot of opportunities for engineering though, and the connections I’d make as well seem like it’ll be a bit more worth it than UB. Both are great for undergrad though, so it’s really financial stuff at this point for me.
Again, speaking as a structural engineer, I would advise you to take the less expensive option if it means less debt. As an employer, I care more about grades, attitude, and experience. I have not been impressed with the couple of engineers I’ve known who went to “elite” schools. Engineers are practical people who don’t really give a whit about ranking or prestige, as long as the school is ABET accredited. Life is hard enough without saddling yourself with more debt than you need to.
Of course, if there is not MUCH difference in debt, you should go with the school that you think is a better fit.
Connections aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. I had plenty in Texas and ended up in Maine.
it looks as if you have received need-based aid at RPI. As long as your family’s financial situation remains the same and you achieve satisfactory academic progress, you should expect comparable aid each of your 4 years at RPI.
If you are receiving merit money for honors at UB, please be aware of the fine print
What is your aid package from UB look like? The Pride of NY scholarship is renewable for 4 years. GPA requirement for year 1 is 3.3 and 3.5 for subsequent years. If you lose the scholarship and the appeal, will UB still be a financially feasible option for your family?
If you receive TAP& PELL- they are entitlements, which you will receive as long as you are eligible for the aid.
If your parents make less than 125K, you will be eligible for Excelsior, which can only be used for tuition. Remember Excelsior is a last-payer, so it will only kick in after pell and tap.
If you are in the Top 10% of your class, then you should apply for the STEM scholarship from HESC, which will cover your tuition (up to $7070 per year)
Both are really great options. It will come down to fit and true affordability. I will be honest, my black students had a better experience at UB than they did at RPI. I have had students who have graduated from both schools and successfully landed.
Appreciate your reassurance, I’ll look at those scholarships!! I could get the STEM one due to being in the top 10% of my class, which would be very helpful.
Given all of the confusion on this thread about net prices, you may want to check:
The renewal criteria (college GPA, etc.) for each scholarship at each of RPI and UB.
The best case net prices for all four years if you meet the renewal criteria for all scholarships.
The worst case net prices for all four years if you are not able to renew scholarships that have high GPA requirements. (Remember, a 3.5 college GPA is significantly harder to get than a 3.5 high school GPA.)
The ability of you and your family to afford the numbers in 2 and 3 above without more debt than the federal direct loans.
