Hey everybody,
I waited until the last second to do everything (per usual) and I just found out that my financial aid application still is not complete because the financial aid offices keeps updating new documents for me to complete. My biggest question is: will I be able to find out my financial aid award before the May 1st deadline? The only thing holding me back from attending Columbia is the cost, and I have a nagging feeling that I really messed up my chances. And apparently my EFC is relatively high at 003565 even though my single mother only makes roughly $35,000 while my father and his wife aren’t expected to contribute anything. So if anybody has some insight on my predicament, I appreciate the help.
Thanks in advance! Give it to me straight, crush my dreams.
$3565 a year is doable, since you can borrow more than that every year. With that EFC, you will also get a work study award. If this is the same for four years, your debt will be quite manageable. In fact,it might even be less, depending on what you earn over the summer.
$3565 a year may seem like a lot given your family income, but it is very little for a Columbia education.
What are your other options? How much would you like to attend Columbia?
Call FA and tell them you are really hoping to get their award information ASAP. If you are doing this on your own, tell them.
And congratulations on getting into Columbia!
Thank you @momfromme. I do have a full-ride to the University of Michigan, but I would much rather go the extra mile for an Ivy League education. Not that there is anything wrong with Michigan at all, it’s an amazing school that I would be happy to attend. It’s just that not many people can say they have been given the opportunity to attend an institution like Columbia. They are actually paying for me to fly out and visit next weekend, so I am very serious about attending since they are serious about me as well. I will take your advice and call in as well.
Having them fly you in is fantastic.
You may want to think a bit about the following:
- Do you want to be in a big city, with the positives and negatives that brings? There are amazing internship and cultural opportunities but some people are just not big city people. Keep in mind that you can stick close to campus and the neighborhood is relatively low key but the rest of NYC is very accessible.
- Assuming you’ve been accepted to Columbia College, how much do you like the Core Curriculum? For my child who is going there, this was a big draw and has been a wonderful experience. Others might not like it as much.
- Given your finances, think about how many trips a year back to your home you can afford and how going back (likely) infrequently would affect you. For some folks, it wouldn’t be a problem. You certainly can stay in touch with your family otherwise. Also note that there are a lot of Columbia students who don’t travel that much because their families are far away or they can’t afford it.
I don’t think the costs and likely debt are out of hand if they come in around the EFC. Just make sure you know what they’re awarding you before accepting their offer.
If you’re worried about the financial aid, you should consider sending in an appeal. I appealed about two weeks ago and couldn’t be happier with the result. Columbia went from being completely out of reach to totally manageable.
@indecisivesenior Yep, they got it to me as well and damn was I happy. They just flew me out there for a three-day campus visit and I think I fell in love with the place too. Still only 60% sure on going there, but an Ivy League education for little to nothing? Let’s just say that percentage is steadily increasing 