Financial Aid Package--Seriously???

Hi. I’m planning to transfer to GS in the Spring 2018 semester after one semester at a community college.
I ran my information through the net price calculator for GS on the college board website.
It told me I will still be paying 49,000 dollars after aid. I have no idea how accurate this is, but that’s what it told me.
I’m 19 years old, and I live with my mother, who makes 23,000 a year after taxes, in a house with 100,000 dollars still owed on it. I, in absolutely no way shape or form, can afford that. Columbia is my dream school and this makes me sick to my stomach. I was absolutely married to the idea of this program, because it seemed like a perfect fit. I did very poorly in high school and had no official extracurriculars, apart from artistic endeavors that I did on my own, mostly due to overwhelming depression, anxiety and a lack of motivation. I’ve been out of school for 2 years.
I know with every fiber of my being that I can achieve a 4.0 or higher in my courses at a community college. I plan to retake the ACT and my prospective score is a 34. I’ve been planning a myriad of extracurriculars to do this Summer. I was extremely excited and looking forward to applying to this program. You would assume that 99% non-traditional students didn’t go to college because it wasn’t in the books for them, they did poorly in high school, or because they couldn’t afford it, for a myriad of social and economic reasons. They talk about this program like it’s a life-saver for intellectual individuals who fell out of a traditional educational trajectory and want to continue their education at a top-rate school. Why the hell are they giving so little financial aid to a group that they themselves acknowledge are less-fortunate?
I decided to run the exact same information through the net price calculator for the main Columbia University and it told me were I going there I’d be paying 5,000 a year after aid. I’m in no way surprised but I’m incredibly disappointed and a little bit disgusted. To me, this is a complete contradiction of every value they’ve laid out in the description of GS, and it’s just them telling me that, yes, if you did poorly in high school there is no way to redeem yourself. Transferring to a school is incredibly difficult because so few transfer students are admitted and they’re obviously fully aware of this. Am I just severely misguided, like is the calculator not accurate? This is seriously so saddening for me. I have alternative schools but Columbia is Columbia; This school was my number one choice, and I’m extremely discouraged.

That’s understandable. I saw a similar thing with my application. However, if you believe that long-term you will benefit from having an education from Columbia, then attend. I’m making an emotional argument that isn’t all realistic, but I’m going to spend at least one semester there. Then, I may transfer to another school or institution. That may be another road map for you. Take a semester, then transfer to another school, which would be easy since Columbia carries a lot of prestige. However, you may enjoy it. You’ll have to think hard and critically about this because this is your future. Be wise. [-O<

^ Some rather poor advice here. It appears that CGS is unaffordable for you (OP), and going into that much debt is a very bad idea. Find the best school (fit + academics) that you can afford to attend. The cheapest option might be to stay at CC for another 3 semesters, do very well, and transfer elsewhere for your final two years. Your degree will be issued by the last school you attend, so 2 yrs at CC or 1 sem at CGS will not matter much in the long run. But large amounts of debt will be with you for a very long time.

^^ Wow. If you’ve been accepted already, then remember that you’d have to apply again. If cost is the main issue, then you should get your Associates (at least 62 credits because that’s the max accepted by GS). 3 semesters would not save everything you could possibly save–it’s clear that the above comment is mostly guesswork. Also, 3 semesters condenses a lot of work unnecessarily. Spread it to a year and half, and include summer courses too. However, you’re going to have to borrow some money in the future from any 4-year school because college is expensive in general. Keep that in mind.

^

S/he hasn’t, per other posts.

It is. Read the OP again.

No, just some knowledge and a lot of life experience. Your advice in #1 seems to be to pay whatever it costs because it is Columbia and it is worth it. Your later post backtracks a bit from that.

I did not suggest only 3 semesters. What I said was “another 3 semesters” since s/he is already intending to do one semester at a CC. My post also mentioned 2 yrs at CC.

Possibly, but not definitively. And if s/he attends an affordable school, then any loans will be much less than what will be required to attend CGS.

@iceblinkluck I am sorry for your disappointment. Our dreams are often shattered on the rocks of financial realities. That is true throughout all of life; not just your college education. But make prudent choices now and you will be on your way to a great education and career. Don’t overreach and wash out due to adverse circumstances (either academic or financial).

Perhaps you should contact CGS Admissions to see if perhaps there was some error in the NPC. If not, pick one of your alternate schools, or attend a CC and transfer, and don’t look back. You will do great!

^^ The comment is beyond ridiculous.

“It is. Read the OP again.”
There is conflict between “my number one choice” and the cost, hence the reason for the post. Read the OP again.

“No, just some knowledge and a lot of life experience.”
This is obviously not true since the best cost-effective advice would be to get an Associates or 62 credits to transfer. A vague response of 3 semester/ 2 years doesn’t help anyone. Seriously, any person with real experience and knowledge (both) understands this, but you clearly don’t. Because if you did, then you would have said so.

I would discount the “advice” of @dscottvb entirely because anyone who bases all their life choices on rote-knowledge is troubling.

“Possibly, but not definitively. And if s/he attends an affordable school, then any loans will be much less than what will be required to attend CGS.”
Wow. Now this is something. The response begins with a negative statement: “not definitively,” but then the elaboration contradicts it and validates my point, i.e. “any loans will be much less than what will be required to attend CGS.” How’s that differ from “some?”

Other poster seems to enjoy attacking me instead of providing constructive advice, so this will be my last post in this thread. Just a few additional comments to clear things up for future readers.

The “best” advice depends on too many factors – such as major, and the to/from transfer schools – to make such a declarative statement. Perhaps not all classes required for AA or AS degree would be transferable, or the student wants to study in specific areas of personal interest. Perhaps distributional requirements are different btw the 2-yr school and the 4-yr school. If the OP wants an AA or AS, then by all means s/he can complete those requirements at CC. But if s/he only wants to get a foundation of gen ed and transferable courses (subject to transfer credit policies), then s/he can do that with 2 yrs at a CC without being in a degree program. It is not necessary to complete an AA or AS degree at CC in order to transfer. I used 2 yrs in #2 bec that is a general timeframe for students who start at a CC and then transfer to a 4-yr institution. It can take a bit longer or shorter, just like not all graduate with a BA or BS in 4 yrs.

This link seems to indicate that the maximum transferable credit at CGS is 60 credits rather than 62: http://bulletin.columbia.edu/general-studies/undergraduates/transfer-credit/. I have not investigated this further, so there may be clarifying/contradictory information elsewhere.

My disagreement with the other poster is not over the word “some”. It is between “have to” (in #3) and “possibly” (#4) and the amount of debt that the OP will have accumulated by the end of undergrad. Given the limited financial info provided by OP, attending CGS will almost certainly require large loans (if a co-signer can be found). If the OP goes to a lower cost CC followed by a state or private school that offers merit aid, there is a possibility that loans will minimal or can be avoided entirely.

Exiting thread now… good luck to you, @iceblinkluck.

Since you are high need, it might be better to take a gap year, retake ACT and apply to schools that would accept you and meet 100% of financial need, or give you guaranteed merit for your stats.

If you attend community college and then transfer, you might not get the same aid that freshmen get.

Are you from NY state?