<p>IMHO, I’d still take UF over NYU.</p>
<p>If you ever consider working in innovative companies in the Silicon Valley, I would advise Columbia. Employees in Silicon Valley have stock options and bonuses, something to consider besides salaries. My contacts in tech companies in SV say Columbia is a target, NYU not so much.</p>
<p>Most of my friends’ kids who are CS majors at elite schools like MIT, Caltech, Berkeley, Stanford don’t want to work for defense contractors(just an example, no derogatories intended) they want to work for “sexier” companies like Google, Facebook, Salesforce.com and start ups.</p>
<p>Thanks! And yeah, I’m African-American. And Columbia is pretty clear about not matching merit aid, they specifically only consider need-based appeals (e.g. if another school interprets my financial situation differently). But I’ll try to sway them anyway, it wouldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>cbreeze, would you say Columbia grads have a /significant/ leg up over NYU grads?</p>
<p>@Annasdad
We live in 2012, not the 70s, 80s, or 90s, so those stats likely need updated. College degrees, for whatever reasons, are more important now than they have ever been; the average mid-career salaries at top schools are well in the six figures, and the same can’t be said for lower-tier schools.</p>
<p>I am not see cbreeze, and i will usually tell students to follow the $$. However I would take Columbia over NYU (as a 2 grad degree holder from NYU and a former HR person whose company paid for a lot of NYU degrees. Sister is a Columbia grad). </p>
<p>While there a a number of colleges at NYU, at the undergrad level I have seen they operate as a huge bureaucracy and from what I have seen they are very impersonal toward undergrads.</p>
<p>You can always offset the difference in Columbia by tutoring, bar tending or other off campus jobs</p>
<p>[Columbia</a> Bartending Agency and School of Mixology](<a href=“http://columbiabartending.com/]Columbia”>http://columbiabartending.com/)</p>
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<p>In Silicon Valley, I would say yes.</p>
<p>Thanks! And yeah, I’m African-American. And Columbia is pretty clear about not matching merit aid, they specifically only consider need-based appeals (e.g. if another school interprets my financial situation differently). But I’ll try to sway them anyway, it wouldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>Hmmm…I would still think that Columbia would really want you. AA Males are usually highly desired. Even if they won’t match merit, I would still let them know that they’re not affordable for you…and tell them what NYU has offered you. </p>
<p>Will your mom co-sign your loans? If not, that’s going to be a problem.</p>
<p>My mom really wants me to go to one of these schools, so yeah, she’ll co-sign.</p>
<p>If you can figure out a way to swing Columbia, do that. If not, NYC, here you come. Sometimes, you just gotta go. I really do get it.</p>
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<p>However, one needs to maintain a gpa requirement to remain a MLK scholar at NYU</p>
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<p>This may be easier said than done in a CS/STEM major than it may be in other majors.</p>
<p>Testing for understanding/seeking clarification - if you do not maintain a 3.5 gpa, do you lose all benefits associated with the program (including scholarship monies)?</p>
<p>Before accepting any merit opportunity, I would recommend that you know exactly what is the “fine print” connected to the merit money. </p>
<p>Is it automatically renewable for the next 4 years?</p>
<p>Is it attached to staying with a specific major?</p>
<p>Is it renewable for the same amount of money each year?</p>
<p>Is scholarship adjusted to take into consideration tuition increases (about 5% per year)</p>
<p>Is there a gpa requirement needed to keep getting the money?</p>
<p>When does the gpa requirement start (by the end of fall term or the end of spring term)?</p>
<p>Is there a phase in to the gpa requirement?</p>
<p>What happens if you do not meet gpa requirement, does money leave immediately or is there a grace period?</p>
<p>If you lose scholarship and bring your grades back up is money reinstated?</p>
<p>What percentage of students lose their scholarship?</p>
<p>Ask the financial aid office what percent of students lose their merit money in the first year.</p>
<p>And the most important question… worse case scenario if you were to lose the scholarship would you still be able to swing the cost of attending?</p>
<p>If there is a toss up between the 2, in your situation, I would always go with and recommend that a student take need based financial aid because barring any major increases in your family’s income/assets, you will consistently receive your money. </p>
<p>I would also recommend keeping copies of all of your paperwork associated with your appeal for financial aid from Columbia just in case they may need a gentle reminder of your situation.</p>
<p>Thanks, sybbie. I actually never thought much about the GPA requirement. My finaid at Columbia is definitely guaranteed as opposed to NYU. I’ll look into it.</p>
<p>It would a struggle for D1 to maintain 3.5 as a math major at Cornell the first year, and her friends in Engineering had below 3.0.</p>
<p>Jimsauce, go to Columbia and apply ASAP and every year for outside scholarships. There are quite a few specifically for URM, especially for STEM. Columbia will open more doors for you because many companies only recruit in certain top schools. You will also have better network opportunities/scholarships in NYC. The experience living in NYC will also be invaluable. You might decide to change your major and Columbia has many great depts for second major. As others have said, UF has a big cache in FL, but outside it does not have the prestige of Columbia, not even close. The alumni network and the school’s name are assets that worth more than the 60k loan. To be honest, you are getting a good deal and the loan amount is not that high.</p>
<p>Ana, outside scholarships won’t help me for Columbia. After reducing your work study requirement, they start to replace Columbia’s grants. The only way to use scholarships for myself would be if the organization sends it directly to ths student, and these scholarships are in the minority.</p>
<p>Believe me, if I could reduce my EFC with scholarships, I would have paid the columbia deposit by now.</p>
<p>Edit(10char)</p>
<p>But at least they will reduce your work study and any grants so your final loan load upon graduation will be only the 60k. Also, without the work study, you will have available time to get an internship/work outside the school.</p>
<p>I say university of florida. I heard it’s a great school and if you’ll be going their for free why not. I know columbia is one of the best schools but do you really want to be in debt right out of college. You might want to start your career late and travel while your young. I mean your smart if you got into columbia and you’ll still be just as smart if you go to another school.</p>
<p>The deciding factor is whether I’ll be able to win enough money in scholarships to justify choosing NYU. Somehow I doubt that will happen. Not that I’ll slack off, but it just seems risky after getting a slew of like 15 scholarship rejections and only winning 1, haha.</p>
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<p>OP can choose not to work at work study job and instead seek outside of school employment anyway. Work study has many financial advantages and there are many work study jobs on Campus that will directly relate to OP’s major. This way OP can have convenience and financial benefits of on-campus work study job during the school year and seek internship opportunities during summer.</p>
<p>I would go to UF for free in a heartbeat. Boy o boy if I could only do things over!</p>