How should I compare merit aid from Georgia Tech and Miami University?

Treat the package with the lower four-year net cost after guaranteed renewable aid as the better financial offer; the largest headline scholarship is not necessarily the best value.

Build two side-by-side four-year budgets using each school’s official cost of attendance, then subtract only scholarships and grants that are confirmed in writing. Include tuition, mandatory fees, housing and food, books, transportation, health insurance if applicable, and likely personal expenses. Do not assume costs stay flat: check whether the award is a fixed dollar amount, which can lose purchasing power as tuition or housing rises, or whether it covers a stated share of tuition.

Read the renewal terms closely. At Georgia Tech, confirm the required enrollment status, minimum GPA, credit-hour or satisfactory-progress rules, and whether the scholarship is affected by a change of major, co-op term, study abroad, or an extra semester. At Miami University, check the same items. A scholarship that requires a higher GPA than you expect to maintain should be discounted in your comparison.

Also separate institutional merit aid from state-based programs and need-based grants. For example, a Georgia student using a state scholarship at Georgia Tech should verify its renewal and credit requirements separately from any Tech-funded merit award. Ask each financial-aid office for the estimated net price for years two through four, whether scholarships can be combined with outside awards, and what happens if you need a fifth year.