How should I compare merit scholarship offers from Virginia Tech and Baylor?

The biggest practical tradeoff is likely Baylor’s higher published private-school price versus Virginia Tech’s potentially much lower in-state cost, while Baylor’s merit award may be larger and explicitly renewable. Compare each offer against the full four-year net cost, not against the scholarship dollar amount alone.

Create a year-by-year worksheet for both schools: tuition and mandatory fees, housing and food, estimated books and travel, minus grants and scholarships that do not need repayment. Keep loans separate from scholarships, since loans increase the eventual cost. Use each school’s current cost-of-attendance estimate, but replace the tuition line with the actual amount shown in your financial-aid portal whenever possible.

For every award, read the renewal language in the award letter rather than assuming it lasts four years. Confirm whether it is reviewed every term or annually, whether summer classes count, and what happens after one weak semester. Also ask whether the award rises if tuition rises; a fixed-dollar scholarship becomes less valuable over time.

Virginia Tech merit awards vary substantially by program and donor, so check whether yours is renewable, one-time, or contingent on a particular major, residency status, enrollment level, or academic standard. If you are considering a major with expensive required materials, co-ops, or an extra semester, include those factors as well.

The deciding figure should be the maximum realistic four-year amount your family would pay, alongside the renewal risk.