<p>Hi all, my son was accepted into WPI's class of 2019, no word on merit aid - anyone know when this should be expected, or how to tell even <em>if</em> without bugging the admissions folks? It is his top choice but we really could use some merit aid to alleviate the pain. He is a dual UK/USA citizen, grew up in UK but moved here when he turned 16, so he had a rough ride to go through culture shock in every way including academically - he did a great job and ended up with 3.92 and a 30 ACT, 1830 SAT and NHS, what I wonder is do the Admissions teams really have an understanding of what it takes for a kid to do this - he was all A+ and Honors courses in England but they are very different here so sharp learning curve and he wasn't even allowed to take Honors or AP here for a full year at first until he 'proved his abilities'. Imagine taking a calculus test and having to ask what the value of a nickel, a dime, and a quarter is - because you grew up with pence and pounds! We will be getting CSS & FAFSA in around Jan 1st. Any guidance appreciated, I've sort of gained the impression that merit aid will be sent out either with the acceptance or 2 to 3 weeks after? Many thanks.</p>
<p>The way it usually works with merit money is that many schools use it to “buy” the students that they most want. The striking feature is usually the test scores. The back stories do not usually figure into getting merit money; I know any number of kids with some truly tough backgrounds who did not get any visible consideration for merit money or for admissions even. The most selective schools take challenges into account when the student has achieved magnificently despite them, instead of giving anyone a quarter for them.</p>
<p>What WPI’s threshholds for merit are, I don’t know. Check the NPC and see if it includes test scores and grades for merit award estimates. About 30% of the kids at WPI get merit awards, averaging about $16K. So if he’s in the upper, say 25% of the class in test scores, he has a shot of getting an award. </p>
<p>From what I have seen, WPI tended to give awards with their EA accepts. Do have him contact admissions and ask about the possibility of getting money. If it is deal breaker for him, have him let Admissions know. </p>
<p>EA accept letters stated that merit aid notification would arrive in January.</p>
<p>Actually, here is exactly what it says in my D’s portal: </p>
<p>Have WPI merit scholarships been determined yet, and when are notifications sent?
The Admissions Scholarship Committee meets biweekly beginning mid-December. Scholars are selected and notified on a rolling basis throughout the admissions application cycle, typically within 2-3 weeks of receiving their offer of admission.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies - I saw the same ‘rolling basis’ info but hoped someone out there had a bit more detail on it. We will contact Admissions and keep fingers crossed. Seems that the very top test scores & grades students get their merit notifications with their acceptances. One more question - by ‘portal’ do you mean the information your kids get to when they enter their WPI ID number and birthdate, the one he used to access his EA1 decision? I think so but just being paranoid. Thanks.</p>
<p>My son was accepted to WPI last year (he declined). He had a 3.85, 31ACT and great ECs. He completed the special (optional?) scholarship supplement essays and was awarded around $12,000 in merit. It was about average for what he was offered across all the schools he was accepted. He received news of the scholarship a couple of weeks after the acceptance.</p>
<p>@BestSonEver - last year, out of the entering class of 1,103; 803 received need based scholarships and grants. Out of the 300 who did not receive need based scholarships and grants, 275 received merit scholarships averaging $13,000.</p>
<p>Sounds like you have a good chance of getting some merit money.</p>
<p>See page 21 and 22, lines e, n, and o:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/IRO/WPI_CDS_2014-2015_(3).pdf”>http://www.wpi.edu/Images/CMS/IRO/WPI_CDS_2014-2015_(3).pdf</a></p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Class rank anywhere near second?</p>
<p>Thanks everyone - don’t know his class rank as his (small) high school says they don’t rank, but I think he’s definitely in the top 10 (ish - hard to know so I’m guessing). He’s had about 5 other acceptances from both match and safety schools and quite high merit awards from most, but WPI is his choice. He did fill out the supplemental scholarship form. Also just got his grades which were now 4.0 gpa but I guess that only factors into the final school report WPI looks at and not merit aid decisions now.</p>
<p>There is no hurry, WPI is EA not ED.</p>
<p>The only question is whether to apply elsewhere, and the answer in my mind is that yes, if there is a question about enough aid to attend, apply to one or two more schools. Or, have some rolling admissions schools in mind to apply to if the FA package at WPI is unacceptable.</p>
<p>But I’m confused - we sent in the CSS Profile with my son’s WPI application in November - why did you not send it in yet? That will likely cause a delay in aid estimates, because colleges often want to give both loans and merit aid if the student qualifies for FA. Fill out the CSS Profile ASAP and send it in, and keep the info around to fill out the FAFSA in a few days.</p>
<p>If you haven’t submitted the CSS Profile, you’d be lucky to get a FA package by February.</p>
<p>As for: " Imagine taking a calculus test and having to ask what the value of a nickel, a dime, and a quarter is - because you grew up with pence and pounds! " Newsflash, that’s true with MANY international students entering a US HS or college, having to convert inches to cm and vice versa, how many feet in a mile, and so on. He is not unique in any way in that regard, and there are classes to help HS students become familiar with our money and measurement system. Yes, it was hard for him, but it is hard for anyone in that situation.</p>
<p>D1 was accepted with 1/2 tuition ($22k/year) merit scholarship. 3.82 UW, 4.82 W, all Honors and AP with strong upward trend. 790M 700CR 780W (2270 total).</p>
<p>It is well known that the sole purpose of merit scholarship offers is to entice the student to attend, that is, to help a school “beat” comparable or more prestigious schools to “win” the student. I think WPI gets plenty of high GPA applications and the driving factor for their merit money is almost certainly the test scores. (ECs are not much more than a tiebreaker, unless you’re a national science competition winner or the equivalent, because it’s just not feasible for different schools to compare an average admitted student’s ECs like they can with grades and test scores.)</p>
<p>Hi, he has applied to 10 schools in all and keeps getting acceptances with merit $$ (knock on wood?) so no panic there…we did not send CSS in yet (though I’m wishing now we had) because my husband thought we had to wait until jan 1st for relevant tax forms/info (I have since educated both myself and him) and because WPI gives deadlines for CSS & FAFSA that are still weeks away. As for the transition from another country to HS or college, it’s more than just money/measurement - it’s the culture shock that can be the most overwhelming, and only someone who has been through it would possibly understand. It’s the loss of friends, terminology & everything familiar and literally going from what was normality for you to being an alien. I guess he’s ahead of the international crowd now that he’s been through it and colleges seem to love it so fingers crossed. Son is a dual USA/UK citizen btw. Thanks for all the info everyone.</p>
<p>Not just test scores may matter:
<a href=“http://m.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/merits.html”>http://m.wpi.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/merits.html</a></p>
<p>Valedictorians, salutatorians, and IB diploma grads with a diploma score of at least 40 get at least $20K.</p>
<p>Students in various other categories may also qualify for merit money.</p>
<p>Be aware that financial aid and merit money will likely be integrated to some degree, sometimes entirely. I don’t know WPI’s methodology for that integration. Many schools will reduce self help first, but some will do dollar for dollar reduction of need grants with merit awards. It’s not as though you will likely get both combined.</p>
<p>Our merit money letter came today! So the 2-3 weeks post acceptance was true for us, actually, a little faster than 2 weeks. My D got 58K merit for stats of 4.2 weighted GPA and 32 ACT. We have not sent in the CSS profile yet. Will do it with the FAFSA. Good luck everyone! Every little bit helps.</p>
<p>@BestSonEver yes, that’s what I mean by portal.</p>
<p>Also, if you feel like this about the transition from UK to USA, imagine how someone from a non-english speaking part of the world feels, or non-Judeo-Christian/non-Western, etc. At least your son does have the major things in common with Americans! I’ve lived overseas–as a child, even-- it takes a year to acclimate, and two years to start to feel comfortable. He will be stronger for it!</p>
Just to finish off this thread (I am the original poster) - son received a merit award letter from WPI yesterday with a nice amount and we couldn’t be more thrilled. He was EA1, submitted his WPI app on September 15th, was admitted on Dec 16th. I could have hugged the mail delivery guy.
@BestSonEver I hope he went? Fingers crossed for my S for the class of 2020. It’s his number 1 choice. We need
merit in order for him to go…
Yes! My son went to WPI and loves it!! It was also his #1 choice and I am so grateful he got enough merit aid to make it possible. He blossomed so much just in the first ‘A’ term and is now confident and loving his classes, majoring in Comp Sci. He sends photos now and then and he’s not just smiling - he’s glowing. Best of luck to your son DonnaEv!
@BestSonEver they have sent us two letters. It’s not enough. I’m so disappointed. He has other options and one school even sent him a big scholarship. But the school doesn’t compare to WPI. I don’t know if there will be additional offers. It was the best fit for him, but everything happens for a reason I guess. I hope your son continues to shine.