<p>hey...i read one of those college books that columbia has i100% ts applicants' needs met. So if I apply early action, can i still apply for financial aid later? Or do i need to have the money for sure in order to apply EA? Columbia is my first choice, and EA will greatly increase my chances. Anyone can clarify it for me? Thanks</p>
<p>sorry typo: "columbia has 100% of its applicants' needs met."</p>
<p>application due : nov 1st
application for need based financial aid due: nov 15th
fyi, columbia's ED not EA</p>
<p>oh...so i can apply ED and still apply for financial aid? I thought we can't apply financial aid if we want ED...or is it true for some colleges only?</p>
<p>Of course you can still apply for financial aid. It's just that Columbia might give you what they think is your need, while in actuality you can't afford it. Different schools have different ways of calculating need. But by ED, you're legally binded to accept the school's offer regardless of whether or not you're able to pay what THEY think is your part of the contribution.</p>
<p>just out of curiosity...what happens if i can't pay for it? do people normally apply ED even if they need aid??</p>
<p>you may only pull out of ED for financial reasons.</p>
<p>so what do you think? I really really want to go to Columbia but i don't have money...i should apply ED anyways right?</p>
<p>If you truly don't have enough money, then Columbia will probably give you a lot of aid. But if you're in the middle class bracket, you're EFC will probably be around 10-15k. Can you afford that?</p>
<p>sorry but wat is EFC?</p>
<p>estimated family contribution i think. Listen, for ED people who are actually poor (not middle class and whose parents own a decent home and have equity but just dont want to or cannot pay $40000 per year in cash) should apply ED, because they will get good money. For those that i mentioned in parenthesis, who are looking for good aid but arent necessarily the most needy, it makes sense to wait and compare packages or to apply to a school that has early action like harvard, yale, or georgetown.</p>
<p>Remember that it is the school that determines your need and there can be a big disconnect between what you and your parents feel that you need and what the school considers to be your need. When applying for aid they take into consideration the income and assets of you and your family. You could be cash poor and house rich (home paid for having a lot of equity) and be simply extended a parents loan for the full amount. From the school's perspective they have met your need.</p>
<p>The dark side of ED is that it really does cost you in the financial aid game. You have no leverage to negotiate a better financial aid offer. As was previously mentioned, different schools come up with vastly different assessments of "need" based on your same financial info. My parents got a much better offer from another Ivy league school and faxed it over to Columbia, and they matched it and more. If you're admitted ED, you're stuck with whatever Columbia's computer spits out. No, it isn't fair, but it is the case at every school with an ED program.</p>
<p>If financial aid is a big deal, and your family is middle class, then ED is kid of risky. While colleges don't like to "negotiate", they will usually re-evaluate their offer if a comparable institution is offering more money. They may or may not match it, but at least you have a chance. If you go ED and are accepted, you won't have other aid offers to compare to.</p>
<p>Columbia uses the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, and their own application to calculate their EFC (expected family contribution = how much they expect the family to pay each year). Note that it's a total family number - parent and student income and assets are counted, and if there are multiple college students the EFC is divided. To get a rough idea of your FAFSA EFC, check the CC EFC</a> Calculator. The Profile gets into business income/assets, real estate, and other factors in more detail, which could affect your final number. </p>
<p>If you feel your EFC will be very low or zero, then ED at Columbia would probably be safe from a financial standpoint. Good luck, rispat!</p>