<p>Hey #theorymom - that’s what D received - not off the waitlist but was offered $$. Very strange… I hope this won’t make things too difficult for you and S.</p>
<p>He did not visit RPI. He was waitlisted so we did not go look. This letter today said he can get off the wiatlist by accepting this offer of merit aid - weird
They say they recently raised a large endowment??
I have written WPI to see if they can do anything to sweeten the deal given this offer (which is the largest general merit offer ha has received)
WPI and RPI are comparable in tuition and other expenses, and comparable in the programs they offer. WPI has several advantages for our S though, being smaller, closer to a major airport, and more flexible with regard to curriculum. But an extra $28,000 is nothing to sneeze at. SIGH
Just when I thought it was safe to back in the water</p>
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<p>That is terribly odd. I really hope they offered at least that much money to everyone they accepted initially. Can you imagine being a student who they accepted intitially with no money, declining because you couldn’t afford it, then finding out that waitlisted students had been offered money? So weird.</p>
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<p>They are paying him to come off the waitlist?!!</p>
<p>I wonder if RPI miscalculated their yield and can see already by the number of people who have sent in their “no-s” that they will fall short of their goal of a certain number of accepted students.</p>
<p>Maybe anyone on any waitlist should send a letter to the schools they’ve been waitlisted: “For $xxK, I will gladly come off the waitlist at your school.” :)</p>
<p>Historymom, yippee! One down, one to go! Now how many schools is TwinE down to?</p>
<h1>Theorymom, that is SO weird, but great. I have to say, S2 got off a waitlist (his last choice school) with his best merit offer as well, but for him it didn’t matter, because the schools didn’t compare.</h1>
<p>it does make he hopeful, though, for waitlisted kids who could use merit money for their higher choice schools if they get in.</p>
<p>hmmm, that is interesting about merit aid and off the WL! A few years ago S #1 was deferred EA, and then was accepted out of the RD pool with a nice merit scholarship.</p>
<h1>theory interesting situation. I’m not a fan of the monkey wrench in general but this one is a bit attractive.</h1>
<p>Thanks all for the congratulatory posts! </p>
<p>SJTH she is down, errr up, to 5 if you count the WL school, which for my own peace of mind I’m not going to. </p>
<p>WL school is in CA but the real list: 1 in OR two in CA and one in TX. I do think that she will be more clear after her visit next week…for crying out loud she better be!! May 1 has gone from looming to bearing down.</p>
<p>Geesh, I would have encouraged my son to say yes to a waitlist offer if I thought there was any chance he’d be offered merit aid. This year is just wacky.</p>
<h1>TM, $7,000 a year is nothing to sneeze at, but neither are some of the plusses at WPI. Can’t wait to hear how the conversation goes tonight.</h1>
<p>$7K a year extra means that S can take an unpaid internship that he likes rather than a “real job” in the summers…</p>
<p>Wow! Congrats to all parents with new progress and decision.
TM: Magic is happening.</p>
<h1>theorymom – what a wacky, wacky admission season this is. Tough decision! Would definitely contemplate shooting an email to WPI asking what they can do to sweeten the pot. Can’t hurt! Might help! Woody, what did your D do about RPI?</h1>
<p>Historymom – Woohoo!! One down, one to go! Glad TwinK can relax and celebrate now. You guys sure did some masterful list-picking – they both have had great choices fit-wise & money-wise, so I’m not entirely surprised the drama of making a decision has continued for so long.</p>
<p>The offer is 6500 more a year than WPI is offering. It is a sizeable difference. This just makes it more confusing than ever. And certainly has us stopped and thinking seriously about RPI. Redoing our research
I hope WPI can come up with maybe $5000 more, but somehow I doubt it. They are also down to the wire and have probably meted out most all they have to give, which makes this an interesting tactic on RPI’s part.
Very “different” than I had expected, for sure. Both are really good schools for S.</p>
<p>Then we got a letter today from his favorite LAC that said if he needs more time to decide “they” would work with him and not close out his app. So my guess is EVERYone is pretty much waiting til the last second to “accept” and making these colleges nervous.</p>
<p>I am about to write RPI and clarify the offer that if he accepts it he is OFF the waitlist, is an accepted student with a 15,000 a year scholarship. My fear is letting another school go by on the chance he will get a place. It is worded oddly and it is all too too weird. It “sounds” like they are saying IF they offer him a position off the waitlist (and I assume they think they will be offering him one and want to keep him on board) they will award him 15000 a yr. But they are NOT offering him a place (yet).
This is why it is a monkey wrench - it is not a true offer until and if he is off the waitlist (which according to how I read this - he is not- he is still waitlisted) grrrr odd odd odd
I guess it is good to know - with record applications - that he is still one they want if they have the room, but it is making things unsure again - and I was really happy to be in the “I know what we are doing” camp</p>
<h1>theorymom…I think I would just call and ask for clarification diectly from the office that made the offer. Then there’s no odd wording/misinterpretation going on.</h1>
<p>agree w/ Northminn. Call and get the name of whomever gives you the information.</p>
<p>I agree with the phone call idea. With it getting so down to the wire, you need all the time possible to sort this out. But I’d also ask them to e-mail or snail mail a confirmation of the exact meaning. There’s nothing like having something in writing.</p>
<p>oh and faxes are becoming an under used tool but I’d ask them to communicate that way too if it’s an option for you.</p>
<p>CD said: I’m not entirely surprised the drama of making a decision has continued for so long. </p>
<p>You are so right. I guess that’s the price you pay for a well constructed list. And thanks for the compliment. :)</p>
<p>In your son’s case, then he could accept WPI by May 1 and then stay on the WL at RPI. Looks like he can postpone making the decision about RPI until after he gets off the WL, IF he gets off the waitlist. It would be interesting if this possible merit aid could squeeze more money out of WPI…</p>
<p>Oh,my! D2 just got an email and she will report for her college sport July 31st!!! Graduation isn’t until June 12th so she has 7 weeks of summer break! :eek: I’m just not ready to see her go!</p>
<p>Congrats on the offer (and ensuring confusion) #theorymom. Based on these posts, I think I’ll push my son to send in his letters today. He’s been getting calls from students and alumni urging him to go to their schools. Best to put an end to that and make the space available for someone else. Since these schools mostly don’t get merit aid and we won’t get FA, we’ve got nothing to bargain for. We will have trouble telling one school no as the president is a family friend (I’m going to his kid’s wedding in a few weeks and he’s come to our kids’ Bar and Bat Mitzvahs). He is a gem of a guy (he actually called to tell us our son had been admitted) and a superb university president. But, his school, which is terrific, has lots of requirements that could be difficult for my son. Time for a personal letter.</p>
<p>Forfeit $500 deposit with WPI if we accept and then go elsewhere. But we would save much more than that by having S go there, so … we’ll see how things shake out.</p>
<p>And yes Shawbridge, the letters, e-mails etc are coming fast and furious now, asking for a decision in their favor, offering more time, more money and who knows what all else. You would be wise to cut the cords to the also-rans before second guessing occurs.</p>