My financial aid folder from Columbia contained only a letter that said, under a thin veil of politeness, that they weren’t giving me anything. I didn’t expect a lot, because I know that all Ivies are solely need-based and my family makes over $100k, but getting nothing means that there is absolutely no chance of me being able to attend. The finances just aren’t possible (medical bills, etc).
I know that they won’t match aid from other institutions, but if I sat down with them and made it clear that I wouldn’t be able to attend without some help, do you think they might try and work something out? Would it be best for me to call the FA office as soon as possible, or wait until I can sit down with them in person when I visit the campus on April 17-18?
You can ask for a review of your FA. If there is information that didn’t come out in the FAFSA & Profile, they might adjust. Medical bills (under some circumstances) might impact your aid. The “etc” depends – things like supporting other relatives or living in a high cost area don’t generally fly.
It is absolutely worth calling them ahead of time, to ask what information you can bring to support an appeal of a FA decision, when you hope to meet with someone in person.
Think of it as “What do you have to lose?”
Of course, you say your family earns over $100K - how much over? You are more likely to be persuasive if your family income is $110K but you have 5 siblings, and no savings, than if your family income is $250K and you are an only child, while your parents have a couple million in assets.
Columbia does not match merit aid, but they are willing to review any other need-based aid comparisons. As you work with them, try to understand how they look at things, and there might be something they can do.
Did you explain the extent of the medical bills when you applied for Financial Aid? Recurring medical expenses, chronic conditions, etc. are items that should be explained to the extent they affect your family’s ability to contribute toward the cost of your education. Without going into too much detail, as an example, they don’t care about the recurring $10 per month prescription copay, but they would care about the $2K per quarter one.
Best of luck to you - and please reply after you have discussed this with the FA department, as others will learn from your reply.
Hi!
An update on this -
Columbia was absolutely fantastic to work with and I know that they did everything they could to try and make it possible for me to attend. Unfortunately, they could only offer me $1,000 a year. I will be attending UNC Chapel Hill in the fall and I totally encourage anyone with the same concerns as mine to sit down with FA. They’ll fight for you as much as possible. Sometimes, it’s just not meant to be.
Thanks for the follow up. Your family’s financial situation is perhaps a bit more complex than some. It would seem to me that your family may have substantial income or assets, or both, or perhaps they own a business.
You are wise in making an informed decision - and UNC Chapel Hill is a terrific school. Best of luck to you.