CMU is ticking me off, can someone help explain aid change?

Paying for College
1

<p>Hey everyone, can someone please help me? Carnegie Mellon changed my aid and I don't understand why!!</p>

<p>So I got accepted to Carnegie Mellon and they initially offered me a $38k grant. We were blown away, especially since our EFC= 10k and I got more than others with 0 EFC from what I've read in the CMU threads. Anywho... they asked me to verify ~7600 untaxed income from my FAFSA b/c they didn't know where it came from. I explained to them that the amount was the difference between the taxed and untaxed portion of my dad's social security and that it was not additional income, but part of my dad's benefits and was accounted for on my tax returns (you just had to subtract line 20b from 20a). They understood. But then they sent me a renewed package worth $3500 less. I emailed them and asked why that is since the $7600 was part of my original package's calculation and even if it were taxed, it would not amount to $3500 in taxes for $7600. Now they tell me that they count it as additional income b/c it's untaxed, how does that make sense?! It's the same freaking amount of money as when they gave me 38k! Not to mention my dad is unemployed on longterm disability benefits. I am still happy with my aid of 34.5k since I know people with less EFC got much less than me, but I just don't understand and it's frusterating!! I could be using that money for law school afterwards! Can somebody please explain this whole situation to me? I'll be the first to attend college out of my immigrant family so we're still trying to figure this whole process out.</p>

2

<p>The EFC was recalculated much the same way that untaxed contributions to 401Ks are “added back” as income.
Unfortunately, it is their party - their money – and they have no obligation to give you a dime.</p>

<p>I’d ask them to meet you half way if at all.</p>

3

<p>*I am still happy with my aid of 34.5k since I know people with less EFC got much less than me, but I just don’t understand and it’s frusterating!! I could be using that money for law school afterwards! *</p>

<p>HUH???</p>

<p>CMU costs about $50k per year. So how could you use that $3500 difference towards law school??? </p>

<p>BTW…if your plan is to go to law school, you shouldn’t borrow much (if anything) for undergrad, otherwise you’ll run out of borrowing power. </p>

<p>Stafford loans “max out” for combined undergrad and law school at $138k. So, if you’ll need $45k per year for law school, you can’t borrow anything for undergrad.</p>