<p>How do most people go about earning the required $2400 for the summer before freshman year?</p>
<p>^I would just get it from my parents lol.</p>
<p>But if your parents won’t give you the money, then just get a job at a convenience store or of the like.</p>
<p>My parents won’t pay for the student contribution, only the family contribution. The problem is that I will also be taking two classes at Lehigh University this summer.</p>
<p>Where did you guys see that we have to earn that money before freshman year…and how will they know whether or not you earned it…do they collect it or something? Is it factored in financial aid somewhere?</p>
<p>Refer to your financial aid package. Your parents can pay it for you or you can take out a loan, but it’s best to just earn the money yourself.</p>
<p>Is this the same thing as the student contribution on the fin aid package. Can this also be covered by work study during the year.If it is the same thing does this mean i am exempt since im a kluge scholar(they have said that kluges work study requirement is waived the 1st and 3rd year)</p>
<p>Apparently that amount for the student contribution is the same for everybody, even if you can’t manage to find a job (called FA office about it). I’m guessing in that case, parents usually pay for it. You could probably take out a loan…</p>
<p>It’s the student contribution (usually earned during the summer but can be paid anyway you like so you could earn this amount during the school year if you really wanted) which is separate from work study (usually earned during the school year).</p>
<p>I’ll be taking an internship at Argonne Nat. Lab. that pays $3,200 over 8 weeks. Imo that’s the best way to go about doing it, as you’re getting both invaluable experience for your field and fulfilling the monetary expectation. And if you got into Columbia, I wouldn’t expect an internship to be too difficult to find with a little work…a little more fulfilling than the average convenience store caliber job.</p>
<p>Only problem is that I’m taking two summer classes, so I don’t have time to do an internship. Besides, the deadline dates have passed for most internships.</p>
<p>^Blsflhrt, why are you doing that exactly? Columbia doesn’t easily transfer courses from other schools, and I really doubt you’d get them count from credit.</p>
<p>You can transfer up to 6 credits from the summer before freshman year. Plus my father works at Lehigh, so I can take them for free. I’d be stupid not to.</p>
<p>It’s not that tough; just work a bit in the summer! You could just get it from your parents, but it’s kind of a slap in the face given that they’re responsible for the much larger family contribution and Columbia allotted a specific amount they wanted you to earn. Will they check? Of course not, money is money, but still…</p>
<p>and a final thing to consider - columbia has one of the lower student contributions compared to other schools. as big of a pain that it may be.</p>
<p>but yeah - any number of ways to pay for it - along with work study, the student contribution usually becomes more like ‘pocket money’ that which you use to sustain yourself as columbia FA really goes above and beyond tuition, room and board to consider the total cost. which means it can be tantamount to an allowance if your parents still plan on it, or you taking care of yourself. if you live meagerly, you can get away without having to have that money. if you live excessively - then it comes in handy. </p>
<p>and yes it should be earned over the summer, but earning it anytime works too.</p>
<p>i know folks that made through just on psych studies alone. so there is always a life for you.</p>