<p>Ok, so right now I’m choosing between RPI and Northeastern. Thats slightly irrevalent but useful if anyone here has been there/knows how their FA works.</p>
<p>What I want to ask is if aid is based on your total costs.</p>
<p>For example if I rent an apartment outside of school for cheaper, would that lower my financial aid, making my efforts at saving money null?</p>
<p>Also, is financial aid constant, as long as the family’s financial situation stays the same?
Since tuition grows every year, would financial aid meet the growth or lag behind?</p>
<p>The type of housing (on campus vs. off campus) may affect your costs of attendance, and thus your need. Whether you choose the $10,000/yr dorm vs. the $7,000/yr dorm should not be a factor. Similarly, if you choose to live off campus for $200/mo in a house shared by 12 kids, or your own apartment for $1,000/mo, that will not affect your aid. The school has their factors to apply for students living on or off campus.</p>
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<p>Depends upon the school and your need. If you have unmet need, guess what, you probably will not get more aid. Some schools guarantee to meet need. They will increase your FA (assuming your family’s situation stays the same).</p>