@Mom2aphysicsgeek We know kids who get EXTRA $$$ by simply telling a college that had accepted them,
that they got better offer. Guess what ! The TOP college that wanted him (an IVY) said Oh, here is extra money for you! Got thousands $$ more in aid, because of the recruitment process!! Tech schools have done the same thing!
So, there ARE Tips on Getting MORE AID!!! $$$
@2sunny Again, post #61 is why I have even bothered wasting my time responding in this thread. For some families, moving from expecting $35,000 per yr in cost to $30,000 per yr in cost is all they need to tip the scales in favor of a school. But those families are not your typical family seeking out top merit aid like those full tuition-full ride scholarships at schools like those offering large NM scholarships. No top school is going to go from expecting $35,000 to expecting $16,000.
If a family can almost make a scenario work, negotiating might work. If a family is significantly off from making a school’s offer work, unless there is a compelling reason (disabled child with expensive medical bills, laid of work, etc), it is unlikely “tips on getting more aid” is realistic.
These are the urban legends I don’t believe. Ivies are all need based. They will match other Ivy offers because those packages are also based on need, and Ivy #1 figures that need has been shown to a peer. An Ivy will not/cannot match an athletic scholarship given at Stanford or ND. It will not match a merit scholarship even if at a similar school or program. The Ivy will always require you to show need.
Cheer to the Finalists!
@twoinanddone I’m not sure, as girl got into Ivy who could not afford it. They gave her Aid, but it was not
enough. So, she TOLD the Ivy that she needed more, and they INCREASED the Amount. Each case is different,
and YOU won’t know until you APPLY, get in, and see the offer. If you can not afford it, they may pull some strings to get you to come (esp. if you are being heavily RECRUITED)
I didn’t say they don’t offer more money, but they do it based on need. The girl you referenced needed more money to attend, and they reviewed her need. They didn’t just give her more money because she wanted it, or because she had a merit scholarship to Alabama, or because she wanted to claim to receive a full ride or more in scholarship money than everyone else in her high school. The Ivies look at the need of the student.
Another poster here on CC said Harvard ‘found’ money for her athlete, but then said Harvard required them to document some special circumstance of extra medical expenses. Maybe it is just a game to say it is need based and not an athletic scholarship or merit scholarship or that they needed a cellist, but the schools require you to play the game, to document the need. Does the family have to be destitute? No. The families can often pay for another school, just can’t (or don’t want to) pay for Harvard.
This is just not a realistic scenario. You do have a general idea before you apply if they have a detailed NPC and you have a simple scenario (no divorce, not self-employed, etc.).
OP, on your visit to Kentucky, be sure that your kid gets to spend some time talking to undergrads in the CS program. He can probably call the department or the merit weekend folks in advance to set that up.
That’s ancient history as far as aid or admissions goes. Even the aid packages and admissions statistics when we, the parents, went to college is ancient history. And (of course) you can’t compare graduate school financial aid with undergrad. It is very, very common for graduate students to get packages that cover a stipend and tuition. Undergrads, not so much.
When I was in high school decades ago, Pomona College offered a National Merit scholarship. You could get into Pomona with a B average. Neither of those things is true now.
At any rate, sounds like the OP’s kid has plenty of options at many price points, so no need to worry here that the family will find itself with only unaffordable choices.
@SlitheyTove However,
we also know that Carnegie has a huge Legacy/Alumni base, who sponsor new generations.
And other privates do the same thing.
The former Alumni member recommends a new student (via Legacy, or friend connection, or recuited Athlete, etc.)
Since my father went to Carnegie, that would be Legacy. Now, it’s in the Alumni/Legacy Pool: from there,
they have Donors (via the connection, or from Carnegie because they want you SO VERY MUCH).
@Mom2aphysicsgeek The example I gave about girl who got more AID from IVY is very realistic to HER own circumstances. She could NOT afford it, they wanted her, she said NO to them, Unless they could help her.
They IN FACT helped her… You do know that some privates/IVEies have BILLIONS in endowments…
so I would never underestimate the POWER, prestige, and CONNECTIONS regarding AID and wonderful career.
It is very realistic, ONCE YOU GET IN>>>
Carnegie Mellon awards the Carnegie Scholarship to qualified incoming first-year students. Carnegie Scholarships are awarded to academically and artistically talented middle income students who qualify for little to no need-based financial aid.
The Carnegie Scholarship is renewable for 8 semesters of undergraduate education (10 semesters for students in the School of Architecture), if satisfactory academic performance is maintained (you must maintain a cumulative 2.0 QPA) and Carnegie Mellon tuition is assessed.
I would luv to see where other Finalists go! Who picked AL, and why? Who picked UTD hear Dallas, and why?
If you already go to AL, or UTD, do you see yourself living there? Did you have easy access to Co-ops? Did you use the public transportation, and did you need a car for your Co-op? Did you like the atmosphere? Did it challenge you?
No, it isn’t. Your posts are just plain false. Need is assessed. Packages are based on need.
The Carnegie Scholarship does not specify how much they offer. If you look at the actual data: http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg03_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=204
For a school costing close to $70,000, that amt is a drop in the bucket.
Hopefully anyone who isn’t well informed by now knows enough to do their own research.
@mom2collegekids my thread went off into many different topics! is your student at AL right now?
@Mom2aphysicsgeek Well, if we get into Carnegie, and IF they give us aid, We will let you know.
Our friend gets $50, 000 in AID from Carnegie every year NOW. So listen to actual things about people
who got Aid from there as a STEM major. 1 reason they got extra aid is they have more children…
So, please listen to the Reality of people who WE KNOW WHO GO THERE.
the chart you show is OK for guidelines, but you would NOT know until you GET IN, and see IF they cater to
specific Family, or Circumstance!!
@2Sunny I have 8 kids and I have been through this process more than once.
The person receiving $50,000 is receiving $50,000 of need-based aid.
Fwiw, if you create a thread, don’t expect to control what gets posted. Also, I am not debating with you, even if that is what you perceive.
@Mom2aphysicsgeek I don’t care if its need based, merit based, or other $$
All I care is they are blessed that they got HUGE $$ from Carnegie…
@SlitheyTove will visit with CS at KY. Already, KY gave us good examples of companies who recruit from there,
and they have a great Co-op department. Icing on cake is New dorms, huge school spirit, and very helpful people.
In addition, all AP classes will get credit.
Glad to hear that you’ll check out the CS department.
Legacy is only parent to child; it may also possibly be spouse to spouse or sibling to sibling. Grandparent to grandchild is not used as legacy…unless the grandparent is making 6-7 figure donations to their alma mater, in which case your kid is a developmental admit, and then you’re full-pay anyway 
Best way to tell if your kiddo might get aid at CMU or any school is to run the Net Price Calculator for that school. Relying on the amount of aid that a friend’s kid got is anecdotal evidence, and has nothing to do with your own family’s situation.
@SlitheyTove Exactly and stated so succinctly! Kudos!
@SlitheyTove Thank you! It would be exciting if he got into Carnegie! Also, I just looked at their Scholarships, &
they give this info:
“Carnegie Scholarships are awarded to academically and artistically talented middle income students who qualify for little to no need-based financial aid.”
So, it is good to know that they give such awards to DESERVING students, and if course, we made sure to apply… because you never know what you’ll get until you apply ! I also see they give $$ that is matched with Alumni donors (all explained on their site).