Recently I got into RPI and CMU for Architecture. CMU was more of my top-choice, but I received 0 financial aid (75,000/year). RPI gave me a generous amount of aid which has lowered the cost of attendance (45,000/year). My family can afford to send me to CMU, but that leaves them with little money to buy a home.
What would you recommend?
Have you heard back from CMU about your financial aid appeal, or is that issue still open?
I couldn’t begin to comment on whether CMU is worth $150K more than RPI. How your family spends its money is a personal decision that only your parents can answer.
Have you visited both? What do you like best about CMU? What do you dislike about RPI?
In your other thread you mentioned that you were accepted to UO with financial aid. Assuming that is Oregon, I would look seriously at that option as it’s architecture school is more like CMU’s, e.g., a design school vs an art school or tech school.
@momrath CMU claimed that they couldn’t appeal my financial aid (even though I explained over email that my parents’ income is inflated by 2x due to stock liquidation).
They also said they would be happy to “review my financial award” if I called. It’s confusing; are they still open to change it? What financial award? (I got $0).
@aVeryHappyChild Your parent (or you) should definitely call CMU’s financial aid department. Their replay may have been confusing, but you have nothing to lose by contacting them.
Tell them about your family’s extraordinary financial circumstances and tell them what you received from RPI, Pratt and UO. I’m not an expert on negotiating aid. I’d suggest that you post the “Financial Aid & Scholarships” board on this site for specific advice.
If things don’t work out with CMU, then you have three very good (though very different) options in RPI, Pratt and UO.
Don’t be overly influenced by DI ratings. Go with the school that best fits your design and culture expectations.