<p>Hey everyone, I would really appreciate insight from anyone, especially current Columbia students (and even better, students that were accepted ED). I've heard a lot about the idea that if I'm accepted ED, Columbia would give me less fin. aid knowing that I'm obligated to go. Is this true, and if so, to what extent? This is the only thing that is stopping me from applying Columbia ED, because it's been my first choice for like 2 years now.</p>
<p>I heard similar things before I applied but decided to go ahead and submit my ED application anyways. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to go if they didn’t give me enough money, but let me assure you that they definitely gave me more than enough. If they let you in (especially ED) its probably because well… They actually want you to come (obviously) so they will ensure that money isn’t an issue for you. 50% of the incoming class is receiving fin aid after all, so its clear they’re willing to dish out the big bucks to those who need it. Obviously this is nothing more than a single anecdote, but i’ve heard the same story from numerous people and i dont think you’ll have a problem. However, if your applying internationally then i can’t help you cause im pretty sure financial aid is approached differently for those applicants.</p>
<p>Thank you so much, Lampostman. I don’t know if you know how much that means to me, because I think I’m definitely going to apply ED now.</p>
<p>This is just once case, however. I’m kind of worried about the same thing because I’m considering applying early decision and money is a factor. I was wondering if you had gotten accepted RD, you could use another school’s package as a bargaining chip.</p>
<p>^Well, the problem with that is you would be required to withdraw all your RD applications if accepted ED to Columbia, so you would never really know about the other school’s package.</p>
<p>the case that wildflower is precisely the reason some folks apply RD because they want to use other schools finaid offers to compare, and columbia like most ivies is willing to in their official language ‘look at other ways of analyzing need to perhaps make adjustments to our own analysis.’</p>
<p>and as i noted before - the only good reasons not to apply ED is because a) financial aid, you’re middle or upper middle class and wont get a sure thing great package and want to compare private and public schools, schools that give merit aid as well, b) you aren’t set on columbia.</p>
<p>as for will they give you less - technically that shouldn’t be the case, and even if you’re committed to columbia you can still ask them to take a look at your financial aid again and they might upon further review give you more money. </p>
<p>further you will sometimes see some anecdotes about how they got a preliminary estimate in December, and the award in April and Columbia reduced some things. folks chalk this up to columbia (or whatever school) being mean to ED students, but honestly (knowing folks in finaid) this isn’t the case; if your 2010 estimates that you give in november based on 10 mths will lead to one estimate, if for some reason dad gets a christmas bonus that shows up in the 2010 taxes, then of course that will lead to a different conclusion.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted (ED) without having an interview. However, the financial aid was very disappointing. Her second and third year the aid was great. This year it has turned into a nightmare. Our aid has been drastically reduced and I can’t get anyone to talk to me on the phone or respond to my emails. They are extremely rude and uncaring.</p>
<p>Hi Mainer - that doesn’t sound all that much like the folks I know in finaid - feel free to PM me. I know that if they thought you were having a bad experience, they’d feel awful and do what they have to fix it.</p>
<p>Mainer-I’ve had a similar experience this year. Not with aid being drastically reduced though but with finding out what my aid is at all. They have had issues on their end (which they finally owned up to) and I’ve been through many phone calls and emails getting the run-around or just no answer at all. It sucks.</p>
<p>I don’t think Columbia will give you less aid if you apply early decision verses if you apply regular decision. The problem is that there might be some other school out there that you could get accepted to that will give you a better aid package than Columbia. Aid packages vary greatly, it’s a good idea to be able to compare all of your choices.</p>