<p>I live in NY, considering that Columbia only provides housing for 40% of the student body and gives preference to those coming from long distances I decided to go it alone. I also wasn’t prepared to wait it out (application) just to find out I was denied. Plus, I have a four year old and wanted to have at least a month to settle in before classes begin.</p>
<p>Went to APS yesterday!</p>
<p>How was it? Do you get any free time? I’ve yet to visit the campus and was hoping that APS would be a good time to feel the place out</p>
<p>The APS isn’t designed to be an all day event. You should have plenty of time to explore, ask a lot of questions, meet people, etc.</p>
<p>Nice! I’m signed up to go on the 25th. Is anyone else from this thread going on that date too? Also has anyone heard back from housing yet? I started looking around at OCHA and craigslist for off campus options but I’m still wanting to see what my campus housing assignment looks like first.</p>
<p>I’ll be there the 25th, all the way from California. I haven’t heard back from housing yet, I heard they don’t send anything out until July. I am gonna be kinda screwed if I don’t get housing though, I can’t really make it to NY to apartment hunt. Just going to APS is like $1k</p>
<p>Deathtocraig— You’re from California… You do realize there are two APS sessions in California, right? There is one in San Francisco on the 20th and one somewhere in Southern California on the 21st. [Northern</a> California Admitted Students Day | General Studies](<a href=“http://gs.columbia.edu/norcal]Northern”>http://gs.columbia.edu/norcal) and [Southern</a> California Admitted Students Day | General Studies](<a href=“http://gs.columbia.edu/socal]Southern”>http://gs.columbia.edu/socal). Food for thought if you’re looking to save a grand.</p>
<p>Yeah man (Deathtocraig), two APS events in Cali. I signed up for the one in Orange County. </p>
<p>I think our Housing odds are good since we’re coming from the West Coast.</p>
<p>Yeah I realize that. I signed up for APS before they notified me, but I still want to go and make sure I like the campus and see what all the hype is about before spending 100k. It isn’t the first time I’ve gone east for college, and I really wish I visited the last one before I committed to the money, I might have saved 80k or so.</p>
<p>Well then, your in for a treat Deathtocraig!</p>
<p>APS was very informative, rehashed information that I think mostly everyone was aware of (with important clarifications ) and also clarified the core requirements and how to register for classes. After the APS we went into the lounge for a meet-n-greet, I really enjoyed talking to current students (or I should say student!), lots of well received advice.</p>
<p>Was there just one student there? Ah, that’s a shame. Sorry, bro.</p>
<p>There are definitely quiet times on campus where students are traveling, off at internships, home, etc. But, please know that you can always reach out to people on this forum or to current students through the GSSC facebook page, etc. There’s tons of current students willing to answer questions.</p>
<p>Hellojan, sorry no I meant that I spoke to just one student. Also, I’m a lady not a bro… :-)</p>
<p>As far as I know… ;-)</p>
<p>Has anyone heard from housing? It would be nice to know if I’m going to have to pay monthly rent or not and for how much. Not looking forward to researching loans and calculating my expenses at the eleventh hour but I guess that’s how it’s gonna go down if I don’t hear from them in the next month.</p>
<p>Right now, I am at a loss… after I have exhausted all state, federal grants and loans, institutional scholarships and my savings I would still need to pay about $4900 for tuition+fees ($4k before November & $900 before May) plus the cost of living in NYC, which Columbia has estimated at $17k…in NYC i cannot see a realistic way this is possible. $17k could maybe cover housing/utilities/cell.</p>
<p>A $17-20k loan would allow me the chance to spend my full attention on school, an extracurricular (probably GSSC), and an internship or part time job. However, after sitting down with Mr. Bailey to go over financials I realize this is just a fantasy… I have no chance of receiving a private loan.</p>
<p>I am not complaining, I really only have myself to blame for my bad credit history. How did I not think yesteryear’s bad habits would haunt me today? I’m am a unemployed 29yrs who just 5 years ago was a homeless junkie. I own nothing, my savings are puny and I am already trying to crawl out of 25K in debt from years previous. I cannot rely on anything from my parents, nor should I. I do know both of them would cosign for a loan in a heartbeat so I could attend Columbia, god-bless them. However, my Dad struggles with a crack addiction and has most of his adult life. My mother is still struggling from the bankruptcy my father left her in 10 years ago. SO much for a cosigner. This is probably T.M.I. for most but I am just at a loss for what to do. Deferring won’t help, attending school part time while working full time seems like a good way to quickly ruin an Ivy league education… I am 100% confident that any debt accumulated would be paid post grad no problem… i just… IDK</p>
<p>There’s a lot going on here. I’d be happy to work with you to strategize and brainstorm a solution. Send me a PM, if you’d like.</p>
<p>Hang in there!</p>
<p>Appreciate it hellojan</p>
<p>Have you considered starting fall 2014, you could work throughout the year and save? It might also help with the credit issue, a lot can change in a year. </p>
<p>Best of luck to you, I really hope you figure this out, sounds like you deserve it!</p>
<p>It sounds like you could definitely pull this off with a little drive but it won’t be easy. I would probably make an honest pros and cons list to working part time, deferring and working full time for a year, and letting someone cosign on a loan.</p>
<p>Wow… This thread is really slowing down! Someone quick, post a picture of grumpy cat or boobs! We need to liven this up a bit!</p>