How should I compare merit scholarship offers from Arizona State and the University of New Hampshire?

The biggest practical tradeoff is whether a larger-looking award actually produces the lower guaranteed cost after tuition, housing, travel, and renewal requirements are counted. Arizona State can have a different cost structure depending on campus, program, and whether you are an Arizona resident; the University of New Hampshire’s price can likewise vary by residency and whether your offer is tied to Durham or another program. Compare each award against the school’s official cost of attendance for your exact residency category, not against tuition alone.

Start by calculating the first-year net price: billed charges such as tuition, mandatory fees, housing, and meal plan, minus grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid. Then add realistic indirect costs: books, health insurance if required, personal expenses, and travel home. Travel is especially worth pricing out because ASU and UNH may create very different flight or driving costs depending on where you live.

Next, read each scholarship’s renewal terms word for word. Confirm the required cumulative GPA, minimum credits you must complete each year, and whether you must remain full-time. Ask whether the scholarship amount is fixed while tuition rises, whether it can be combined with other institutional aid, and what happens if you change majors, campuses, housing arrangements, or enrollment status. A scholarship that requires a GPA you would find stressful to maintain should be valued less than an equally sized award with more manageable conditions.

Make a spreadsheet using a conservative assumption for annual cost increases and list each award separately by year. Treat loans, work-study, and parent loans as financing, not scholarship money. Also note the appeal process at each institution; a competing written offer can sometimes support a respectful request for reconsideration, though neither school is obligated to match it.

The right choice is the one with the lower realistic net cost after you account for the likelihood of keeping the scholarship, provided the academic program and campus experience meet your goals. If one offer only wins because of a renewal condition that feels precarious, the more dependable award may be worth more even when its stated amount is smaller.