<p>Have any current Columbia students really received financial aid that "met their need"?
I've heard that if Columbia wants you, they'll work things out financially.
I am one those people with family assets totaling less than $60,000, so if anyone has had a similar situation... could you please share your FA experience?</p>
<p>Well they say they meet 100% of financial need. Which means for all students, if they do work-study, get Fed aid, and pay some themselves, Columbia will cover the difference. Diplomatically, having students not go because of lack of money doesn’t ever look good.</p>
<p>Yes, Columbia meets 100% of your FA need.
My family makes less than 60K a year, and I received full tuition and everything. My parents contribute $0.
I do have Work Study and Student Employment as part of my FA, so you want to know more details you can PM me.</p>
<p>Wow. Sweet, thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>I feel like I get pretty good aid. There are things about the system that I dislike and think are unfair one way or another, but overall, they try to make it reasonable. This is probably different if you are upper upper middle class and are right on the line, though - I know plenty of people who are shafted that way. However, the <$60,000 income thing seems to be true from everything I have heard.</p>
<p>For International citizens the system is ‘need-aware’ not ‘need-blind’ like that for US citizens… Therefore u get as much as u ask and if the amount of aid doesnt balance your brilliance then expect admission denied</p>
<p>What if you’re parents are divorced, and the non-custodial parent doesn’t pay child support. Will their income still be taken into account?</p>
<p>oh , yeah and short of jail , abuse, dox from counselors and priests , your dead beat dad can ruin your chances of finaid.</p>
<p>Hah actually its my mum. I still see her and everything but she makes less than my dad so no point in child support. It just sucks because my dad makes under 60K but with both of them its more.</p>
<p>If you still see your mother, your chances for a NCP waiver are very slim, and both the custodial and non-custodial parent’s income will be factored in for aid. NCP waivers tend not to be granted when there is still contact between the child and the parent, and both your mother and father will have a responsibility to pay.</p>
<p>Sent you a PM.</p>
<p>Basically, you should pursue a non-custodial waiver regardless of the prevailing opinion against it on CC.</p>
<p>No prevailing opinion against it here. But a warning to those who are thinking of pursuing it that it is not always a walk in the park, has to be done for each school, and the results can be mixed so that other options should be in mind as well. I’ve seen some kids who have assumed that it would be an auto thing and when it is, great. But be prepared to get supporting documents on short notice if questioned and some affordable schools with that issue in mind in case denied.</p>