Class of 2016 Results: Celebrate, Discuss, Support Here - Page 17

bungalowdweller · 04-24-2012, 11:21 AM

Oh, and always appeal the first financial aid offered.

everett1 · 04-24-2012, 04:33 PM

She will make back the difference IMHO.

We have UConn, RPI, CMU choice. UConn is under $25K, RPI is $35K and CMU is $43K. I think if our son is willing to pay back and use coops, work study, coops RA position, etc., go for it. Anyone weigh in on RPI v. CMU?

everett1 · 04-24-2012, 04:35 PM

And if they reject your appeal on the chance that you'll just pay the difference?

spellers · 04-24-2012, 10:21 PM

we tried that. Although online it says they'll get a committee together for a review, and that it would take a week or two, we had a rejection in two hrs. So much for appeals. We're trying to fight the fact that she got accepted to the honors college and friends of hers, who had comparable averages and SAT's, got nice merit awards, while she was overlooked. UMD claims the merit awards are based only on academics. My D was in the top 10% of her class, so I'm praying maybe that'll work. Thanks everybody for your input!

everett1 · 04-25-2012, 10:12 AM

Hard to tell what has value.

My son will come in with 5s on 5 AP's, 4.1/2200, will run college track and X-C, conservatory level jazz player. CMU has conservatory; great asset for non music major that RPI doesn't. But CMU prob'ly doesn't care about what non majors do in their music school.

He got rejected on Financial Aid review at CMU.

Anyone know if CMU actually cares if a student walks away to a comparable because it's aid is 1/3 higher? MOre importantly, do they even entertain the thought after they've already decided on the financial aid review? We don't want to be in position where he goes to CMU and can only pay for one year and then has to switch schools!

bungalowdweller · 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM

Everett1

I think that coming to the table with other schools offers of financial aid can help. If the student is particularly appealing, they may want to add a bit if they're offering less than a competing school. It seems to me, though, that the more popular the school, the less the aid. I really don't know.

JuniorMel · 04-28-2012, 09:17 PM

I applied, accepted and declined both schools. CMU has a way better reputation than RPI in music&&they offered you more $$. RPI is a peer institution of CMU and if they had offered you more $$ than CMU, you could have used RPI's offer as a leverage to get more $$. but on the other hand, if there is still time, you could use CMU's package as a leverage to get more $$ from RPI because they are peer institutions. plus there will be some freeing up in $$ after May 1 when admits decline because people on waitlist received financial packages despite being waitlisted.

hsmom2dncrs · 04-28-2012, 11:27 PM

The "official" deadline for appealing FA for CMU was today, 4/28/12. As for whether they "care" if students walk away - We applied for a review of FA back on April 3rd, with two other peer schools' FA packages as "leverage." Was told it would take 2-3 days. When that passed and we hadn't heard, we called; at which point they told us there would be no decision until the 18th. That day came and went as well. I called on the 20th - was told I'd have some decision by the end of the following week. Yesterday we received a letter:
"We wanted to determine if we were financially competitive with the other institutions to which you were admitted. We also hoped that we could help you base your college selection on academics rather than financial considerations.
Unfortunately, we are unable to respond favorably to your request. Due to our finacial limitations, we are unable to financially assist everyone or to be competitive with all other offers of assistance."
It ends with: "It is important that you understand that our decision is based on our own institutional financial constraints and is not a reflection of your academic ability...."

When I spoke with them early on, they made sure to make the point that, even if they gave a favorable response this year, we'd still have to reapply and be "reassessed" for FA next year. I've learned from a few others on the CC boards that CMU only guarantees to meet financial need for those students who have applied Early Decision. Something we did not know going in to the process - totally our fault there.

Don't know where that leaves you, but you might try making a phone call on Monday. Best of luck!

megan12 · 04-30-2012, 08:43 PM

We have a decision - FINALLY!!! S is heading off to Haverford next year. Go Squirrels! (that mascot makes me laugh!)

kangaroobro · 04-30-2012, 08:55 PM

I'm going to Marlboro College in the fall. They gave me a trustee scholarship worth 15k a year and a leadership grant worth 2k a year. That, coupled with the need based aid, means that I will be graduating debt free!

Razzyreb · 05-14-2012, 11:55 PM

Just wanted to update if anyone is interested. D narrowed her choices down to Princeton and Vanderbilt after financial aid appeals to them and to CMU. CMU came back with a few thousand more which would put our EFC to over 30k per year.

Princeton was better but still EFC would have been around 23k for first year and would have to reapply every year afterwards. Very nice financial aid parent loan program, but still D would have taken on over 15k debt total. We would be looking at over 60k debt. We were perfectly willing to go with Princeton, but D was looking at the bigger picture -- sibliings coming after her and debt for us. She's hoping to get into graduate school debt free.

D chose Vanderbilt, and she's thrilled. GO DOORS!

sbjdorlo · 05-15-2012, 12:24 PM

Razzyreb,

Congratulations! It sounds like you've got a very levelheaded D. I love that she is thrilled with her choice. :-)

bungalowdweller · 05-15-2012, 02:38 PM

Razzyreb, Your daughter made a great choice!

puclassof80 · 05-18-2012, 10:21 AM

I'm surprised that Vanderbilt's financial aid package is better than Princeton or Yale's - they give 100% of demonstrated financial need as outright grants - interesting. Plus I'm biased as you can see by my member name.

sbjdorlo · 05-18-2012, 01:57 PM

puclassof80,

I'm not sure about razzyreb but in my son's case, Vanderbilt offered him a full tuition scholarship and then 13K of need based aid on top of that. Had he chosen Vandy, we would have only been billed about $980 a year. It was an incredible deal!

Princeton's deal was still wonderful-billed about $,5200 a year-but it was less than Vandy.

Keep in mind our income level might be different than razzyreb (we are a family of 5 making between 70-79K a year), and that might affect numbers at both schools.

My son ultimately chose another that was more expensive than either of those schools.