If I receive outside scholarships, does anyone know if Carnegie Mellon will reduce the amount of institutional need based aid they gave me?
Easy Google search:
right I read their website but it says , “Institutional grants and scholarships will not be reduced due to the receipt of outside scholarships unless one of the following occurs:
If student receives federal grants or loans, these funds, in combination with any other grants/scholarships, cannot exceed student’s financial need.”
I did not receive any federal grants but would the “other grants/scholarships” include institutional ones or not?
Yes, those OTHER grants would include institutional grants.
But since I haven’t gotten any federal grants would that statement still apply to me? Sorry for all the questions 
I don’t really know my financial aid well
Your total need based aid cannot exceed your financial need. In other words, it can’t pay for,your family contribution.
So…if you get outside scholarships…and the total will be more than what your need is…your institutional grants can be reduced.
Okay thank you for the help
If your aid consisted solely of your institutional scholarship and one smallish loan, would they reduce the loan or the scholarship if a small (lets say its less than the loan offered to meet need) outside scholarship is received? I am just wondering if there is an “order” of preference for what is lost first?