<p>I'm just curious about what other people thought about Columbia's financial aid package, especially in comparison to other schools' packages.</p>
<p>It was the best, essentially, better even than in-state for my state’s public school. Also compared well to the other privates I applied to.</p>
<p>Of course, it really depends on your family income.</p>
<p>It was the best</p>
<p>It was very good (my parents only pay $8k a year), but their scholarship policy is bull. Basically you can only use scholarships to cover your work study, and after that you’re out of luck. I have more than $62,000 in scholarships and will only be able to use, at most, $8,000 of that.</p>
<p>@embeezy
Can’t you use scholarship money to reduce the grants you’re getting? I thought you could use outside scholarships to eliminate work-study and then start eliminating grants, too.</p>
<p>Nope. The email I received said that scholarships no longer affect student/parent contribution. And even if I could, that amount is over four years, and my Columbia grant is so large that it wouldn’t ever affect those contributions anyway.</p>
<p>Oh, $62,500 over four years! I thought you were getting $62,500 each year, an amount that is (shockingly) higher than Columbia’s annual total cost of attendance.</p>
<p>Maybe I don’t understand. Are you saying that Columbia gave you close to $50,000 per year in financial aid, and your scholarships (which you don’t get to use) add up to a little over $15,000 per year? And you’re complaining? What am I missing?</p>
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<p>Could you explain that part a little more … I don’t understand.
They won’t let you use any scholarship to cover parent/student contribution? Can’t you at least eliminate work study?</p>
<p>I’m now even more confused. What exactly is the problem with work/study? I am really out to lunch, because it seems people are complaining about having to contribute a fractional portion of the cost of their education.</p>
<p>I think they’re complaining that Columbia used to accept scholarships in lieu of work-study and now they don’t accept scholarships at all. I’m not sure what the new outside scholarship policy is at Columbia, but I doubt it’s this extreme.</p>
<p>^ yes, not accepting any scholarships to take away from workstudy or student/parent contribution seems unusual since other universities always have that policy …</p>
<p>CU does accept outside scholarships in lieu of work study
CU financial aid policy is one of the best.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal:
Columbia Grant - $40,000
Parent Contribution - $9,300
Student Contribution - $2,400
Scholarships I can use: $8,000/year (half of which replaces Columbia grant)
*values obviously not exact, but very close</p>
<p>I have a total (as in over four years) of $62,000 in scholarships, but Columbia emailed me the following:
“Unfortunately, outside scholarships do not go towards student or parent contributions any more. This process used to happen on a case by case basis two years ago but with the new initiative in place we no longer can do that. If she needs help in covering her student contribution she can borrow an unsubsidized Stafford loan.” She being me, obviously.</p>
<p>So the bottom line is that I am very, very grateful that I am going to my first choice school for a fraction of the cost. However, the parent contribution is higher than my EFC, and I cannot use scholarships to cover my contribution. </p>
<p>I also chose to go to a Spanish immersion program over the summer which not only prevented me from working to make that $2,400, but actually cost my family a few thousand dollars. I don’t regret it at all, as the program was a life-changing, invaluable experience, but it does mean that I will have to take out loans now. Had I gone to my second choice school, Swarthmore, I would have paid nothing for four years of college, as their scholarship policy is far more generous.</p>
<p>With that said, anyone know the possibility of getting a job on campus? I’m eligible for work-study in my FA letter, but now they’re saying I don’t qualify since I’m using scholarships to cover that amount.</p>
<p>I’m just surprised that they’re only letting you use $8,000/year (half of which replaces the grant) instead of $15,000/year (with all of it replacing the grant). Shouldn’t they try to reduce the grant as much as possible?</p>
<p>I deferred one scholarship for grad school/pay off loans (thank you Coca-Cola/flexibility), and another scholarship chose to reduce the amount of money they’re giving me this year since it’s all going to the Columbia grant anyway.</p>