I just received my acceptance letter from Rochester on the Fourth of March for RD. However, I didn’t see any mention of financial aid. I didn’t receive any merit scholarships from Rochester (like Simons or Bausch + Lomb), so I’m a little hesitant on committing just yet. Has anyone gotten anything?
I don’t know about Rochester, but many schools send their FA letters well after the initial letter of acceptance. My daughter graduated from high school in 2014, and I think that Middlebury was the only school out of 10 that sent the FA letter with the acceptance. But I’m sure you’ll hear soon. Definitely don’t commit until you’re sure the financial aid is going to work out for you.
Rochester doesn’t send out FA packages (including any merit awards) at the same time as they send out acceptances. In about 2-3 weeks, you’ll receive an email telling you to check your MyROC account financial aid portal. Your award will be posted there.
WOWMom - If there is a merit award, is that also 2-3 weeks after the acceptance letter?
I don’t understand why they can’t provide the merit award info now. The window to visit and decide is getting narrower - S definitely not attending without merit.
Merit awards are part of your student’s overall financial package. UR only sends out finalized FA packages–which may include merit awards–so you can see your child’s complete FA package all at once.
FA packages should be available by the first week of April. This leaves all of April to visit campus.
The only problem with not getting the awards package until the first week in April is we have to leave other schools on the table, and do those visits which are scheduled this month, one of which requires a plane ticket. My daughter would perhaps scratch that school and one other if she gets good news from Rochester, but it looks like that information will be on hold a few more weeks. I know all families deal with these scheduling concerns, so it will certainly all work out in the end.
VMT… When I spoke with financial aid last week, they told me that those first batch of acceptances, should receive their financial aid information in about two weeks. They said they were just beginning to work on those. So I’m figuring we will have that by the end of next week or early the following week perhaps. I was also told that it would come via email, and then you log into your MyRoc account to see it. Nothing in the regular mail.
Thanks @Yokennyr !
In the same boat as VMT - all of April is really not all that much time if you need to schedule plan rides. Also, we don’t qualify for aid so just need the merit info. Other schools do this, it would be nice if Rochester did too.
Or you could do what D2 did–just not visit campuses that require a plane ticket. (And from where we live–that’s everywhere except the 6 colleges that are within a 5 driving hour radius.) Didn’t stop her from attending a college across the country sight unseen…. where she did perfectly fine too, I might add.
Don’t take it for granted that you will be receiving merit aid! You need to call and get a specific answer whether there is a merit aid coming or you are already denied that aid. The people at the financial aid office are outstanding, they will not leave you hanging, they will tell you one way or another. Just a reminder to not take it out on them if you are told that the merit aid is not in the package. I believe that need-aid is easier to receive than merit aid. My D did not qualify for a need-aid, ended up getting a small merit aid after an appeal (better than nothing).
I’ll second @Fatmoose’s assessment of UR’s financial aid office. The person we’ve been working with has been great—responsive and helpful. But he never overpromised anything, so there have been no surprises. It helps that D applied ED and we were happy with the merit aid package that she did receive in December. I would have pulled all my hair out by now if we were still waiting. I feel your pain.
@Fatmoose and @EllieMom - that’s great to know. We have not received a decision yet so it may all be moot!
@Fatmoose Thanks for the warning. In no way are we just assuming my daughter will receive merit aid. And I would certainly never “take it out on them” if she did not receive a merit award. My daughter really likes UR as do I, so we hope it works out for her. However, we recognize many excellent students who are very deserving of merit aid get accepted.
Thanks everyone for replying! I just received an email from the University of Rochester saying that as soon as I apply, I have scholarship that is waiting (probably merit) and that they will discuss need-based later on. Hope to hear soon!
Here was the e-mail:
Dear [Me],
I love my job, because I get to ‘tell’ you that the University of Rochester will award you a scholarship when you enroll!
You’ll find the details in your MyROC account at http://enrollment.rochester.edu/myroc.
If you have applied for need-based aid, you’ll receive another message about that. Your merit scholarship will appear again in your final financial aid package.
If you have questions, the counselors who recommended you for scholarships want to hear them.
Contact us any time at (585) 275-3221, toll free at (888)822-2256, or at admit@admissions.rochester.edu.
Meliora!
Jonathan Burdick
Dean of College Admission
Vice-Provost for Enrollment Initiatives
Son received same email - was awarded $60,000 ($ 15000 per year) for FIRST Robotics!
Yes I received the Dean’s Scholarship for Merit!!
Merit Notification
Dean’s Scholarship “$12,000”
(Amount per year toward tuition)
Winners of Dean’s Scholarships have demonstrated both academic achievement and the potential to make unique contributions to Rochester student life. This is a reward for your hard work in high school and a statement of our trust in your continued success here on campus.
Son awarded deans scholarship $18k/year