Columbia Class of 2017 Forum

[lawschool22]

Thanks, JVK!

So if CLS doesn't start getting down to business re: awards until April, then a lot of those receiving April 4 exploding scholarship offers from NYU will surely not hear back in time to make a comparison.

I'm not in at CLS, but there's some relevant info in the NYU thread from last year. People had success in getting the deadline moved back a couple weeks by emailing admissions.

[neprep]

Thanks, JVK!

So if CLS doesn't start getting down to business re: awards until April, then a lot of those receiving April 4 exploding scholarship offers from NYU will surely not hear back in time to make a comparison.

I'm not in at CLS yet, but there's some relevant info in the NYU thread from last year. People had success in getting the deadline moved back a couple weeks by emailing admissions.

FTFY and thanks! That's good news, I guess, but I can't believe this is going to drag on until April.

ETA: Waste of a 1900th post.

On second thought, if it gets you into CLS quicker…

[lawschool22]

Thanks, JVK!

So if CLS doesn't start getting down to business re: awards until April, then a lot of those receiving April 4 exploding scholarship offers from NYU will surely not hear back in time to make a comparison.

I'm not in at CLS yet, but there's some relevant info in the NYU thread from last year. People had success in getting the deadline moved back a couple weeks by emailing admissions.

FTFY and thanks! That's good news, I guess, but I can't believe this is going to drag on until April.

Yeah, I'm not enamored w/ CLS' speed compared to NYU.

[JVK]

Thanks, JVK!

So if CLS doesn't start getting down to business re: awards until April, then a lot of those receiving April 4 exploding scholarship offers from NYU will surely not hear back in time to make a comparison.

No prob! Like the other poster said, you can push that deadline back. NYU definitely wants to pressure you into accepting the offer sooner, but at the same time, it's better to have you accept slightly later than perhaps not at all haha.

If any of you do have financial aid issues, call Columbia, don't email - they're terrible with email (at least the FA Office). That said, every time I called, they were extremely helpful. If it's the same as last year, it starts as an automated message but just hit "0" until it starts ringing.

[drevo]

Any idea how Columbia does non-Butler/Hamilton aid?

i.e. Does it exist? And when/how do they notify?

Hey! I'm a current 1L and figured I'd chip in.

It exists. I think last year they had us submit certain documents (parents' income tax returns, W-2's, etc.) along with FAFSA/a questionnaire by the start of April. Start gathering that material now if you can. You didn't get any priority if you sent them in before that. You can certainly submit financial aid material after, but that was the first day they claimed to start looking at them.

I ended up receiving $40,000, with a solidly middle-class background (not low-income by any means but not high either). I honestly think that reflected some "merit aid" consideration in my case, although they may claim to do only need-based (if you truly are low-income they're a lot less stingy than you'd think). They will negotiate based on other offers, but seemed to focus primarily on offers made from "comparable schools" - I heard NYU and Chicago were the ones that'd carry any weight, essentially. If you get HYS, then I assume probably got some money coming your way (I didn't apply/get in so I can't say personally how that would've affected it). I do know my UVA/Duke money didn't do much.

I've heard of a solid number getting ~$30,000 and also a good number at or approaching Butler levels (the low-income). When I say "low-income," I don't mean that you make near minimum wage as a legal assistant or some other starting job - I mean that you grew up with your parents making very little money throughout your childhood. The Financial Aid Office does focus on that distinction. Keep in mind too that what I've seen isn't a complete sample size, or even a particularly large one - it's just what I came across personally when I was trying to sort all of this out.

But it does exist and don't count yourself out. Hope this helps and makes things a little more transparent.

Thank you so much. This is exactly what I was looking for. Also, they say the deadline is March 1st for need based documents to be submitted, but then it also says "or as soon as you are admitted." I should hopefully be able to coordinate all the parental documents and what not before the 1st but it seems like this deadline isn't really too hard if they are still accepting people and not making decisions until April. Is that more or less the case?

[JVK]

Thank you so much. This is exactly what I was looking for. Also, they say the deadline is March 1st for need based documents to be submitted, but then it also says "or as soon as you are admitted." I should hopefully be able to coordinate all the parental documents and what not before the 1st but it seems like this deadline isn't really too hard if they are still accepting people and not making decisions until April. Is that more or less the case?

Hey, no problem. I got a lot of help/info from this board when I was applying last year so it makes sense to offer some back.

It's not a hard deadline, but if you get them in before March 1 you're likely to get an aid offer back slightly sooner. That said, I don't think there's any rolling decision basis prior to March 1 for the need-based documents, so as long as you have it in around that time you'll be okay. Like you said, they'll definitely still be accepting people throughout April and later, so a lot of it's just them notifying you about when they'll start considering financial aid - no one'll ever be barred from financial aid consideration, as I understand it.

I got all my documents in around the middle of March (I had to wait for my parents' tax returns to come through) and heard back by the second week of April.

[almondjoy]

Has anyone else had trouble activating your admitted student account? After I make my password/security question and press "next", the next page loads and is just blank. I've tried it on chrome and safari with no luck :/

[jdapplicant]

Has anyone else had trouble activating your admitted student account? After I make my password/security question and press "next", the next page loads and is just blank. I've tried it on chrome and safari with no luck :/

I initially had the same problem. I just kept trying and it eventually worked. Since then, I haven't had a problem logging in and accessing the ASWebpage.

Edit: I have Safari btw

[almondjoy]

Has anyone else had trouble activating your admitted student account? After I make my password/security question and press "next", the next page loads and is just blank. I've tried it on chrome and safari with no luck :/

I initially had the same problem. I just kept trying and it eventually worked. Since then, I haven't had a problem logging in and accessing the ASWebpage.

Edit: I have Safari btw

Hmm Okay I'll keep trying then, thanks!

[Marshmallow]

checking in! not quite sure why Columbia accepted me so quickly, and before higher numbers applicants, but can't complain

i'm about to go back through this thread in hopes of finding more info re: do we really have to send copies of tax documents? can that be done via email? i think the only other school i've applied to that requests this is cornell. hmmmmm

ETA: just finished reading through. seems like March 1 is not a hard deadline? haven't yet logged into ASW so that's my next step

[Theopliske8711]

checking in! not quite sure why Columbia accepted me so quickly, and before higher numbers applicants, but can't complain

i'm about to go back through this thread in hopes of finding more info re: do we really have to send copies of tax documents? can that be done via email? i think the only other school i've applied to that requests this is cornell. hmmmmm

ETA: just finished reading through. seems like March 1 is not a hard deadline? haven't yet logged into ASW so that's my next step

You will need to send them for need-access stuff.

[Ren]

This may have been already answered, but if we only want to be considered for merit-based aid, what do we do? Just sit back and wait?

[AuctionTheory]

Has anyone else had trouble activating your admitted student account? After I make my password/security question and press "next", the next page loads and is just blank. I've tried it on chrome and safari with no luck :/

Try to set your password with a mix of characters, i.e. uppercase, lowercase, numbers.
I initially tried to set my pw only consisting of lowercase letters, but also ended up having the same problem as you.
After I threw in numbers and uppercase letters, it worked instantly.
Not sure if it was by coincidence, but it's worth a shot.

[ShrimpToastMasters]

Oo - my building said that I have a package from Columbia? I've already received the initial acceptance packet, and the student handbook - anyone who's not at work want to check their mail and let me know what the package is so that I don't have to wait until this evening to find out?!

[girlmonster]

Oo - my building said that I have a package from Columbia? I've already received the initial acceptance packet, and the student handbook - anyone who's not at work want to check their mail and let me know what the package is so that I don't have to wait until this evening to find out?!

Can you (or anyone else who receives another package from CLS) post what it is? My state's been in a state of emergency for the better part of two weeks, so I'll probably get it way after everyone else.

[jdapplicant]

Is there a c/o 2017 Facebook group yet?

[BerkeleyMan5]

.

[gingerspice]

Super stoked to be in here. Has anyone tried asking for merit based aid only yet?

Also, anyone know how they're going to handle the Columbia/NYU ASWs (I'm assuming a lot of you all got into NYU also).

I'm doing this... planning on going to most of the Thursday at Columbia, and then heading down to NYU. Trying to decide now if I want to get a hotel closer to one or the other, or somewhere more central...

[ShrimpToastMasters]

Oo - my building said that I have a package from Columbia? I've already received the initial acceptance packet, and the student handbook - anyone who's not at work want to check their mail and let me know what the package is so that I don't have to wait until this evening to find out?!

Can you (or anyone else who receives another package from CLS) post what it is? My state's been in a state of emergency for the better part of two weeks, so I'll probably get it way after everyone else.

It looked really exciting (the box was insanely heavy)...but it was just a really heavy box filled with CLS pamphlets. LAAMME. I wanted swag :/

[girlmonster]

Oo - my building said that I have a package from Columbia? I've already received the initial acceptance packet, and the student handbook - anyone who's not at work want to check their mail and let me know what the package is so that I don't have to wait until this evening to find out?!

Can you (or anyone else who receives another package from CLS) post what it is? My state's been in a state of emergency for the better part of two weeks, so I'll probably get it way after everyone else.

It looked really exciting (the box was insanely heavy)...but it was just a really heavy box filled with CLS pamphlets. LAAMME. I wanted swag :/

Thanks for the heads up, I would've gotten excited to see the box.

[Tela1283]

Is there any information on TLS about negotiating about scholarships with CLS specifically? I know I can search but I figured I'd ask y'all first.

Thanks!!

Edit: Got money from NYU this weekend and wanted to know if it was okay to email CLS asking if they can match or exceed it, or if it is proper protocol to wait for their initial offer (if they have any at all). I have no experience with this stuff

[moonman157]

Is there any information on TLS about negotiating about scholarships with CLS specifically? I know I can search but I figured I'd ask y'all first.

Thanks!!

Edit: Got money from NYU this weekend and wanted to know if it was okay to email CLS asking if they can match or exceed it, or if it is proper protocol to wait for their initial offer (if they have any at all). I have no experience with this stuff

FWIW, I emailed them I think twice, when I had money from Cornell and when I had money from Chicago and NYU, all before they came out with their award. I would email them beforehand. They give out money really late, so it doesn't give you a lot of time to get them to change their offer, and I don't think they're too receptive to it. Just stress that CLS is your top choice or whatever but money is a huge factor and other offers from other schools are compelling etc etc

[Tela1283]

When you say late -- would that be after NYU's April acceptance deadline? Should I notify them of that deadline?

(and thanks btw!)

[moonman157]

When you say late -- would that be after NYU's April acceptance deadline? Should I notify them of that deadline?

(and thanks btw!)

Yeah, notify them of the deadline. I received my scholarship right around that time.

[tlsapp2017]

This may have been already answered, but if we only want to be considered for merit-based aid, what do we do? Just sit back and wait?

I was wondering the same thing. NYU has a merit aid only application, but I couldn't find any equivalent for CLS.