Is merit aid related to IS status?

FCCDAD
Thu, 26 Mar 2015 20:46:05 +0000

Of course her acceptance is still valid. VT was always an admission and financial safety for her.

If there were any difference between admission decisions for IS and OOS, it is the OOS applications that would have to meet the higher bar. Otherwise a student could apply and not indicate that she was IS, if it were easier to get in as an OOS applicant, and then simply prove her IS residency prior to the first day of class. To suggest it’s harder for residents to get in to a public school than OOS applicants is ridiculous.

In reality, VT does not appear to be overwhelmed by OOS applicants, and does not appear to use different standards.

She claimed IS residency on her application; they accepted her without asking for verification, but had then listed her as OOS. We contacted them and verified her residency, and VT has now explicitly confirmed that she is in fact a resident. “[D1]'s status has been changed to in-state for tuition purposes.”

But the question was not about admission. The questions were about whether merit aid (scholarship) money is offered any differently between IS and OOS (e.g., is there state money available, earmarked for residents?), and when do they make the determinations of what to offer (i.e., does the delay take her out of consideration for IS money?).

In truth, I hope they don’t offer her any merit aid. The entire and only purpose of merit money is to persuade a student to attend that school instead of a “peer” or “superior” school. I would much rather she attend UVA or W&M, however.