<p>I'm planning on applying for SCS, but I heard the financial aid given by CMU is awful. Is that true or false?</p>
<p>If the school wants you they can offer pretty good aid. The can also match (or beat) offers from peer schools. It all depends on how much they really want you.</p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon meets full financial need for anyone who applies ED. For RD however, you get around 50-75% of full need. If you’re concerned about finances, just use the early estimator on the website. I’m only an applicant, but I’ve heard that its really accurate if you provide the correct information. Also, if you get reject/deferred ED and get in RD, you won’t get full-need. </p>
<p>If Carnegie Mellon is your topic choice and you want the best aid possible, you should definitely apply ED or ED II (there’s still to apply ED due to the storm).</p>
<p>Also, don’t rely too heavily on the university matching offers from peers. I had a few friends last year who got significant aid from Cornell and RPI (peer schools) but were unable to bargain with Carnegie Mellon. This is anecdotal evidence of course, but just wanted to warn you.</p>
<p>If you receive higher offers from peer schools, CMU may increase their aid, but if so, it will only go up a few thousand usually. If you are truly an outstanding applicant and CMU really wants than CMU may match other offers however you would really have to be among the top in the applicant pool. This is what I was told when discussing my financial aid offer with the financial aid office last year.</p>
<p>Anecdotal: quite a few RD CS friends of mine got decent financial aid. I did too—CMU was actually my best FA package, and I’m very grateful.</p>
<p>Definitely try to bargain for financial aid, but I do suspect the financial aid office prioritizes by what students they want the most when conceding/giving awards: statistically great students, diverse students, students going into top majors/programs.</p>