<p>When I received my finaid package I noticed the $2300 student contribution. I assumed that was the amount that I was expected to give to the school out of my pocket. But now I'm confused. Is that money used for books, travel, etc?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s correct.</p>
<p>that’s good to hear. i already have plenty saved up for expenses next year =)</p>
<p>While my participation in the PreFreshman Summer Program ('07) exempted me from paying the student contribution for my freshman year, I have had to pay Cornell that money out of pocket each year after that. Double-check with Cornell as you don’t want to be caught with a $2300 bill and no cash to pay it with…of course, you have the option of taking out loans to cover the cost.</p>
<p>The student contribution that my kids pay is in addition to their books. I believe that the $2300 that you are expected to pay will be divided by 2 semesters. You will need to pay $1150 in August and the rest will be due at billing time before the spring semester. The student contribution goes up every year. </p>
<p>Call financial aid so you can hear it from the source. If you look at the website regarding this you will see that if you can’t make the student contribution they will advice you about taking out a loan.</p>
<p>Quick clarification: I got aid for tuition, boarding, books, and some extra stuff like travel. What I’m wondering is if I’ll have to pay out of pocket for the books I need or if, I don’t know, there’s some system where I’ll get the books without shelling out cash. Can anyone tell me how it works?</p>
<p>you pay cash for your books. </p>
<p>Usually, financial aid doesn’t cover the entire cost of your expenses, and thus you “get your book money” by not having to pay that extra amount covered by grants for books when paying your bursar bill. If, instead, you get full financial aid, and thus have a credit to your account for the amount you get for books, you can request a refund check, which I’ve heard takes a long time and is a PITA.</p>
<p>There is also the option of using the Cornell Card (which I believe has a limit on the amount you can use), but automatically transfers the payment to your bursar bill (which should be credited with your financial aid awards).</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>When I was a student, the balance limit on the Cornell Card was $650.</p>
<p>The debit balance now is $850, according to the bursar website.</p>
<p>This means 850 total for the year. So it might be hard to buy all of your books with only this amount.</p>