<p>I was admitted ED to Carnegie Mellon and just got back my financial estimate. In my estimated package, CMU gave me $2500 through work-study, but only gave me me ~$800 in grants. </p>
<p>I thought that work-study was only for students with high financial need (my total package is around $12,000/year). Is it normal to be in a work study program without receiving much grant money?</p>
<p>Some schools require work-study for students on financial aid because it gives students “skin in the game.” The idea is that if you are given work-study, and you have to work for some of that cash, you’ll be much more likely to appreciate the aid you do receive and work to graduate on time, etc.</p>
<p>Almost all schools will build a financial aid package first with self-help money (typically a $5500 Stafford Loan and $2500 work study) and then add on their institutional grants. So, if your determined need is $10,000, your aid package would most likely be $5500 Stafford Loan, $2500 work study and a $2000 institutional grant. This assumes that you aren’t Pell eligible. Keep in mind that work study is just an opportunity for you find a work-study job on campus. There is no guarantee that you will find one, and it’s also not a requirement that you look for one (at most schools). You will have an opportunity to accept or deny each component of your aid package. So, if you want, you can take the loan and grant money, but decline the work study.</p>
<p>Fate, CMU has some great work study opportunities. Did you also get loans in your package? Were they the Staffords? </p>
<p>And no, work study is not given as a rule for those with high need. In fact, it can be very harmful for high need students whose families and they are going to struggle to come up with the EFC. Many of them are counting on working part time to make up some of that EFC. Work study money cuts into that time. That puts that idea right out the window.</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse I don’t know what type of loans I got because I only received an estimate of my financial package. My actual package will only come in March. </p>
<p>How many hours per week does a work-study job require? Do you get paid at minimum wage, or higher?</p>
<p>From CMU’s Fin Aid website:</p>
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<p>I would assume that if you’re getting an entry-level position in food-service or as a secretary or in the library or something, the job will be min wage or close to it. Assuming min. wage on a fifteen week semester, $2500/yr->$1250/sem->$83/wk->11-12 hrs/wk. If you continue receiving work study and find a paid research opportunity or you find a job that requires prior knowledge/experience, you may get paid more. I would read the [URL=<a href=“http://www.cmu.edu/finaid/employment/faqs.html]FAQs[/URL”>http://www.cmu.edu/finaid/employment/faqs.html]FAQs[/URL</a>] on student employment here.</p>
<p>You’re not REQUIRED to work for the full amount though. Most work study jobs seem to want a minimum of 6-8 hours a week. Max depends on the job.</p>
<p>I ask, because I am wondering if they are the subsidized Stafford loans or even part of the unsubsidized of the same. How much in loans did they estimate for you? </p>
<p>You are not guaranteed the workstudy job. You are entitled to the hours, and you have to go to the financial aid office, look at what is there and find the job that fits your schedule and allotment best. The amount given is the maximum you can get through the Work Study program but many jobs will continue a student and pay them out of their own funds when the allotment runs out. CMU does have some great opportunites in work study and on campus jobs.</p>
<p>I am asking about the loans because every freshman vetted by FAFSA can get $5500 from government of Stafford loans. Up to $3500 can be subsidized in that no interest accrues while you are in school, and the interest rate is lower than the unsub loans. If you have need, that subsidized loan is used by some colleges as part of their financial aid package. If CMU had not done that, then you could borrow the entire $5500 on an unsub basis toward your EFC. </p>
<p>This is why I don’t like ED. You can’t compare offers. CMU clearly uses workstudy and the Stafford as part of the financial aid award, They guarantee to meet full need, but that is a way that the do meet it and they also have inhouse loans as well. It is possible that another school would offer a package that is not so self help heavy and leave you your Stafford and time to borrow and work to meet your EFC.</p>
<p>I got work study.</p>
<p>The school itself provides 1/4 of the payments to you, so the more money the school puts in (which in this case is alot) the FEDS will provide the other 3/4 up to a certain amount.</p>
<p>The reason schools like work study is that the student worker can get paid much less then they would a staff member.</p>
<p>Let me explain, I am an admin student worker and get paid $9.00 an hour. I covered a shift for a staff employee who is also an admin. My work is just as hard if not slightly harder then his- except he gets paid $3,000 a month!</p>
<p>So it is cheaper for the school to higher student workers</p>