Outside Scholarships Affecting Financial Aid?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Columbia University
1

<p>So, I just found out today that I received a $3,000 scholarship and a $1,500 scholarship. I know that the $3,000 one will reduce my work-study so that it's completely gone. Basically, what I am wondering is whether Columbia will take away grants so that there's no net gain for me for getting the $1,500 scholarship. If I'm not going to be gaining anything, I almost feel like I shouldn't accept it, so that someone else will get something from it. Does anyone know how this works? Also, Columbia says this on their site: </p>

<p>How do outside scholarships affect my Columbia financial aid award?</p>

<p>The scholarships you receive from outside sources will be used to reduce the work study portion of your financial aid package. For example, if you are awarded a $2,000 National Merit Scholarship, your work study expectation will be reduced by the full $2,000. Only after your work study has been completely eliminated will your scholarships begin to reduce any Columbia Grant you may have received.</p>

2

<p>accepting the scholarship thus saving columbia a couple thousand dollars.</p>

3

<p>I just would like to know Columbia’s policy on reducing grants when the work-study portion is used up. Any help, please?</p>

4

<p>I’m in the same dilemma, and debating whether I should invest time into applying for scholarships in the next few weeks (keeping up with AP classes, AP exams, and National competitions coming up); from what it says on the website i think that as soon as your work obligations on your financial aid deal is used up, scholarships won’t alleviate anything else</p>

5

<p>Is the work obligations referring to the student contribution part indicated by financial aid office?</p>

<p>I’ve got 3,420 student contribution and 3,150 FWS, and the difference as I guess might be the part from my own saving.</p>

<p>And that’s really a dilemma like collegeftw pointed out, almost any scholarships will turn out to reducing the aid you receive from Columbia.(first self help obligation, then grant)</p>