<p>I read/heard that Columbia doesn't really change their fin aid offers.</p>
<p>I'm a cross admit at another Ivy (UPenn-Wharton) and I've decided I need to take this decision a lot more seriously.</p>
<p>What's a proper approach when calling the financial aid office to try and get more money?</p>
<p>I was thinking of just calling and saying how much Penn gave me, asking if Columbia could review my app, and asking what reasons there could be for the discrepencies?</p>
<p>For the record, Penn gave me the following:</p>
<p>$22k grant/scholarship
$3k Work Study
EFC: $22k
Package: $25k</p>
<p>Columbia:</p>
<p>$2.3k work study
$10.3k grant
$3.6k loans
EFC: $31k
Package: $16.2k</p>
<p>In terms of EFC, I have no clue why Penn gave me $9k more... I'm not even talking about the fact of how much debt I'd graduate with from Columbia.... I think Columbia's package isn't that poorly structure, it's just the total amount I don't get</p>
<p>On the columbia board here if you do a search you'll find a lot of posts saying Columbia is VERY good about chaning their fin.aid if you get something better somewhere else.</p>
<p>basically you posted yourself what you should do. go for it</p>
<p>Fax your Penn offer to Columbia. And, attach a letter explaining why 31K is unreasonable for your family and Penn's offer more correctly matches what your family can pay.</p>
<p>Also, let Columbia know that your financial aid will vastly, or even ultimately, affect the school you end up going to. That sense of exigency could polarize Columbia's decision (either they'll adamantly reconsider your package, or just say ' **** it' and let you go to Penn), but more than likely they'll reconsider your offer, especially since it's a whole lot less than Penn's.</p>
<p>Is UPenn's award merit-based? If so, you aren't allowed to appeal your Columbia offer with that argument. Faxing better awards only apply if they're need-based only.</p>
<p>You know what's funny? Columbia offered me GREAT aid, but Penn offered me like 10k less. I'm currently faxing a reevaluation form as well as a letter that describes the situation. Hopefully they will match the offer...</p>
<p>sure they can, but they won't reconsider your aid package if your "better" aid is merit-based. i called them myself, they don't roll like that, yo. all financial aid at columbia is need-based only.</p>
<p>robotfood, i'm currently a student at Columbia.</p>
<p>They can reassess your "need" by showing that you can't afford the EFC and by using another Ivy's offer as leverage. They obviously don't SAY they're matching merit money, but they do whatever they want to attract good students. They topped a huge scholarship I got from another Ivy.</p>
<p>It's a scholarship that I got, but it's merit based only if you have need. I faxed them the sheet from Penn and I'll wait for a response now! If they match it, I'll have to go into the think tank</p>
<p>i have a similar question. I just got my aid award from columbia(i turned in stuff late) and it almost seems like i won't be able to go. I really love Columbia and would love to go except financially i can't imagine my family. I really want Columbia to match this scholarship i got for washu. They gave me 19500 and it's kind of weird. You get a scholarship on merit but the amount of money is decided on need.</p>
************ SUMMARY ***********
Total Resources : $ 35,548
Total Awarded : $ 11,812
==========
Cost of Attendance : $ 47,360
</code></pre>
<p>Washu
Eliot Scholarship $19500
(basically again got the scholarship on merit but the money was decided by need)
STudent Contribution
Federal Work-STudy $2000
Stafford Loan $2625
Total Student's contribution $4,625
Parent Contribution so would be around $20000 drastically contrasting to the $35000 i would have to pay for Columbia. So basicalyl do i just fax this and wait or do i call them and tell them my situation?</p>
<p>sorry, but what do you mean by this:
Eliot Scholarship $19500
(basically again got the scholarship on merit but the money was decided by need)</p>
<p>i only applied to one other school in the columbia price range (cornell) but i didnt get any finaid whatsoever from them, so i had no other finaid package to compare to. but i got into cooper union, which is full tuition, merit based.</p>
<p>when i appealed my finaid at Columbia, i told them (1) columbia's determined contribution was more than 10K than my fafsa EFC, so i asked them if it was possible if my data was misinterpreted, and (2) i tactfully mentioned cooper union (also in nyc, so they would know abt their excellent reputation). even though i had no finaid offers from any other school, columbia gave me 6K more in grants</p>
<p>so, i suggest, given the may 1 deadline approaching, write a cover letter and fax it to columbia's finaid office tomorrow</p>
<p>Yeah do it quick.. it takes time for them to process your materials and make a decision. After about a week, Penn matched the aid from Columbia (3k from 10k EFC).</p>
<p>I am visiting Columbia this weekend for the Days on Campus program. If I feel "at home" during this program, I will most likely pick Columbia over Penn. I've crossed Berkeley off my list of considerations (after much hesitation) and Cornell has reemerged as a candidate--the campus is too beautiful...</p>
<p>I never thought picking a school would be so tough..</p>