<p>I asked in the RIT forum too, but it doesn't get too many views so I was wondering if any parents here have any experience or know what RIT's reputation in this regard is?</p>
<p>My S was accepted to RIT. He was offered a total of $18K/year in merit scholarships (includes $1K honors scholarship). He was not offered any need-based aid other than loans/on campus employment. He has full tuition scholarship offers at Northeastern and Drexel, which I assume RIT considers to be peer schools. Because RIT's costs are a bit lower, if they were able to increase his scholarship offer by about 5K per year, their overall cost to us would wind up being in the same range as those other two schools.</p>
<p>My S doesn't yet have a favorite and is planning on re-visiting schools that are still in the running financially after we get all his final information in the next week or so. At this point S isn't feeling that RIT is worth spending an extra $5K/year over Drexel or Northeastern. So we're on the verge of putting them in the "ruled out" pile on the basis of finances. So the question is, is it worth having him visit again and decide if it would be a top choice for him if they would give him more money, or should we just assume that they will not and move on.</p>
<p>I don't think he should go to them and ask for more money unless he's at a point where he'd go there if they gave it to him. So he'd definitely need to visit again to see if he would feel that it would be his first choice if they gave him more money. But our time for visits is running thin and I don't want to waste time if it makes more sense to just move on.</p>
<p>It can’t hurt to ask, but of course it’s easier to ask if you can say, my son would attend if you could be more competitive with the other offers.</p>
<p>I think this will be a topic of huge interest the next few weeks. DS has not exactly narrowed it down to a top pick, although I think I know which direction he’s leaning. He qualifies for an automatic scholarship based on SAT but not on GPA. If that’s the school he decides on, we’ll definitely be having a discussion with them. (Any hints as to how to approach this are much appreciated!)</p>
<p>FWIW, when DS#1 was going through this several years ago, his counselor said this was definitely worth a shot but should only be done at his top pick. Colleges don’t want to think you’re trying to get them in a bidding war.</p>
<p>I have to agree with you that he should not approach RIT (or any school) unless it’s where he really wants to go.</p>
<p>MyLB, if there’s any way to point to a higher rank than grades would have indicated or proof that grade inflation doesn’t exist at your child’s school that would be a big help.</p>
<p>RIT is very specific about what stats get you what kind of aid. My S also won the RIT computing medal last year, which is 6K/year. If they would have let him stack that with the national merit award, that would have been perfect, but we’ve known all along that they don’t stack merit awards. [RIT</a> - Office of Financial Aid - Scholarship & Grants](<a href=“http://www.rit.edu/emcs/financialaid/table_merit.html]RIT”>http://www.rit.edu/emcs/financialaid/table_merit.html) Looking at that chart, he already has the top available Presidential Scholarship, plus a $2K “official” NM scholarship, so I don’t see much room for them to give him anything else.</p>
<p>We’re kind of in a catch-22 right now because we don’t want to ask for more unless he really wants to go there, but we don’t want to visit and get his hopes up if they definitely won’t give him more…</p>
<p>Thanks, mathmom. I do have a friend who got an increase last year by pointing out her son could have taken easier classes, attends a competitive hs, . . . I do think comparing grades across high schools is tough–seems to me SAT is a better benchmark. Hoping someone will agree with me. BTW–I’m assuming we make a call to the admissions officer for our area when/if the moment comes?</p>
<p>Agree that merely asking for more is not going to be as effective as giving them a reason for giving you more money–whether it is updated info, competing offers they can match, etc.</p>
BTW–I’m assuming we make a call to the admissions officer for our area when/if the moment comes?</p>