Basic information about Purdue University merit scholarships is clearly spelled out in an easy-to-read chart. However, understanding important details below the surface calls for further scrutiny.
Here is Purdue’s chart.
Click to enlarge.
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I like charts. They’re quicker and easier to use if I’m trying to pull out key information about how much college is going to cost. Click the image on the right to see another chart showing all categories of financial aid at Purdue.
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Purdue is a state school ranked #62 on the USNews list of national universities. It is particularly strong in engineering, included in the top ten of USNews Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs Rankings. Other well-regarded areas include business, education, and health sciences. Cost of attendance is $23,468 for Indiana residents and $42,480 for non-residents. (The maximum Trustee scholarship of $16,000 would put a significant dent in that non-resident tuition bill.)
Some details about Purdue scholarships
- Apparently merit funds vary considerably among departments, with the school of engineering reportedly having the largest budget.
- Applicants and students who switch majors may lose their scholarships, important to know since engineering is notorious for weeding out students.
- Purdue grading is tough, so maintaining the grades needed to renew a scholarship each year could be especially challenging. Getting an A is hard for the Boilermakers with an average GPA that has hovered around 2.8 for over 30 years. Purdue doesn’t even seem to know that grade inflation exists in America.
Considering the risks of losing merit financial aid, I would think long and hard before encouraging an out-of-state student to accept a scholarship to attend Purdue as an engineering major. The stress of keeping up good grades in that environment could be overwhelming.
Cost of College 