<p>Does that $80,000 income include the rental income from the property? Does it include the equity in that $3-4 million dollar property.</p>
<p>As pointed out…in your case, your family assets are SO significant that they trump your income. If your parents say they can pay…they must have the money somewhere.</p>
<p>This might have already been mentioned (I didn’t read through the whole post), but why don’t you apply for the Chase SmartStart Scholarship? There are basic guidelines that prohibit you from taking certain majors (life sciences, fine arts), but it’s a full scholarship for certain schools (Columbia included!), and it includes a paid internship at Chase!</p>
<p>^ I am not from New York. I am from Washington :(</p>
<p>Smart Start scholarships are for students from NYC with low EFCs. Since the OP didn’t qualify for aid from Columbia based on EFC, he wouldn’t be considered for this even if he lived in NYC.</p>
<p>BTW…it’s silly for Smart Start to include Columbia since it clearly states that the tuition scholarship is “less financial aid.” Obviously, a low EFC student who got accepted to Columbia would be given a huge amount of FA from Columbia. So what would such a kid get from Smart Start? lol</p>
<p>Exactly. So… the financial aid has never responded to my e-mail yet. I am going to call in soon. Do I have a reasonable argument or am I fighting a lost cause?</p>
<p>By any definition your family is “rich”. There is a limited pool of FA. There are families of 4 out there making $20,000 per year applying for aid. </p>
<p>You do not have any basis for an appeal.</p>
<p>I hate to say this, but…I’m going to because I know it’s difficult for kids to fathom how much money is a lot of money.</p>
<p>You have $500,000 in savings and think you should be awarded money based on need!? We have zero savings (because I JUST started making money a few years ago and have been paying off debts so I never got to a place where I could save), and we have a lower income that you…and my EFC is basically the full cost of college. </p>
<p>So, if your parents make $80,000 with 2 kids in college, then…yes…they’ll get aid. If they make $170, depends on the school. Upper Ivies do have some middle income aid. But, you sold a restaurant and reaped the rewards, you have $500,000 in savings (which, let me say doesn’t happen with an $80,000 year income)…and you still think there is some problem why you couldn’t convince them you should get aid? </p>
<p>It’s great that you don’t want your parents to pay for your school, but…someone has to, right? You can certainly appeal, argue. Many people do. But I wouldn’t hold my breath.</p>
<p>Is their anything ELSE your parents can bring to the table? You said they “lost tenants”. Everyone is in bad shape right now (well, most people). Everyone is at risk. So their reduced income will always show on the following year’s request for aid. Example…I expect to explain that, being self employed, of course I’m double taxed (that will show when I/they enter how much they’ve paid in taxes…we pay both the corporate tax liability AND the employee taxes). For me, and this might be the case for your parents…I also have to provide my own health insurance. Combined with health issues my expenses are nearly $20,000 a year. I haven’t completed FAFSA or CSS Profile yet, but those extra things might not be on there. Sounds like they are already looking for all those loopholes though. FYI, if you intend to reinvest the profit from the sold restaurant, then NEXT year, again, will reflect that loss.</p>
<p>If you plan on majoring in a Science or Engineering field, I would suggest applying to the SMART scholarship at the conclusion of your freshman year. This scholarship covers full-tuition for all your undergrad years. You will have to commit equal years that they are paying your tuition for as a worker in a DoD office of your choice, but it may be worth it, as you get to go to Columbia free of tuition, and you get the research and work experience earned through working with the DoD.</p>
<p>Here is a link for more information:
[SMART</a> - Science, Mathematics & Research for Transformation - Part of the National Defense Education Program](<a href=“http://smart.asee.org/]SMART”>http://smart.asee.org/)</p>
<p>Okay-- Thank you for the responses.</p>
<p>If I cannot get financial aid, do you guys know of any good scholarships I can apply for?</p>
<p>Seems like that SMART scholarship’s deadline already passed…</p>
<p>There aren’t any outside scholarships that would begin to pay for Columbia. You’d be spending a ridiculous amount of time writing essays and apps for tiny chances of tiny ONE TIME scholarships. Outside scholarships are hard to get (many applying for few awards) and they are usually for small amounts - like $500-1500. Exceptions are outside scholarships that are awarded by a parent’s corporation - those can be larger and for multiple years.</p>
<p>You’d be better off spending that time at a part-time job earning MORE money than these possible small scholarships would award you.</p>
<p>Also, many of these small scholarships also look at need.</p>
<p>If your parents are complaining, then both you and your sister should work during the summer to earn as much as you can, and each of you should take out small loans. Since your sister has enjoyed a year or two of paid costs, she could borrow more to compensate for the amount that you’d be borrowing over 4 years.</p>
<p>There’s no reason why your sister’s costs should be 100% paid for, while you’re supposed to find outside resources. She shouldn’t be given a free ride, while you’re left scrambling. That’s a bit nutty and unfair.</p>
<p>Your best bet for scholarships are local ones, especially those that reward high grades and test scores. Check with your guidance counselor, see if your school’s website shows last year’s scholarship recipients, or Google the name of your town + scholarships to see what turns up.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>True…but keep in mind that many apply and only few (sometimes only one) receive (and these are usually quite small - not enough to make a dent in Columbia’s costs). And, these are typically one time deals. </p>
<p>Again, the time you’d be spending on the tiny chance of being awarded anything, would be better spent working a part-time job for **assured **money.</p>
<p>How much are you looking for in scholarships?</p>
<p>Where my kid goes to school which has very generous aid, having that much money in savings and assets would disqualify you for aid regardless of your income.</p>
<p>Okay – Seems like I will simply look for a couple scholarships and mainly use my part-time job. Apparently there isn’t that much I could do about it, and that is what gives me peace of mind. I was just hoping that Columbia wasn’t taking advantage of me doing ED and thus giving me less aid. If I would have disqualified for aid at any top college, and there is nothing I personally could do about it, I feel a lot better about myself.</p>
<p>A student at my son’s school cobbled together $7000 in scholarship money last year from local scholarships. Another girl was the local scholarship queen, garnering about 9 or 10 including a very difficult-to-get Regent’s scholarship from Berkeley. </p>
<p>Local scholarships have much less competition than national ones. My older son was the only applicant for a $2000 memorial scholarship last year; he didn’t know this when he applied, and was very happy to have won it. He recycled his common app essay for it. That hour of his time earned him almost as much as his 10-week summer job.</p>
<p>My point is that local scholarships are out there, they have much less competition than the huge national ones, and by applying for as many as you’re eligible for with relatively little time investment, one can make a significant dent in at least one year of college expenses.</p>
<p>My younger son has a list of about 10 that he’ll be working through in the next month or so.</p>
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<p>Columbia is need blind for admissions, I believe AND the guarantee to meet full need. SO when you applied ED, your finances were NOT considered when your application decision was made. AFTER they accepted you, they put together a financial aid package based on the information you provided them. Your financial aid would have been the same if you had gotten an RD acceptance…I believe. This school does not award “less aid” to students applying ED…just because they applied ED.</p>
<p>You didn’t get need based aid (which is the ONLY aid Columbia gives) because your information yielded NO need.</p>
<p>Columbia did not take advantage of you. Results would be the same ED. Income is just part of what any private school looks at. May of the wealthiest you’ll meet in college will not have parents with income from jobs. Their money will be in the form of assets and income from them.</p>
<p>Your EFC will include money they expect you have saved for college, some from income, some from assets and the willingness of parents to borrow. Paying for these schools hurts for all but the very wealthy.</p>
<p>You don’t seem to understand. You apply to the SMART scholarship during your freshman year of college. So you only have to pay full tuition freshman year, and then you get your tuition paid for, for your next three years.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>That’s a good idea if the OP is a citizen (he may be, I don’t know), and he’s willing to fulfill the req’ts.</p>
<p>The requirements are pretty stringent. You have to be majoring in the specific majors they list, work for the DOD for a year for every year you receive the scholarships, and relocate to wherever they send you to. Pretty good deal if the majors are what you are majoring in and you are willing to make the commitment. If the majors are not the field you are interested in and/or you don’t want to make that commitment then you are lucky that your family is wealthy enough to pay for your education.</p>