Columbia Class of 2017 Forum

[EvMont]

Is it just me or is Columbia's fin aid process the most extensive out of most schools? All NYU, Chicago, and Penn wanted was FAFSA + Need Access.

So we need to submit the following, correct?

Need Access
FAFSA
Financial Aid Questionnaire form
2013 W2 and tax returns
Parents' 2013 W2 and tax returns


Is that right?

Just to be clear, this is correct.

[t-14orbust]

I take it if I got the butler they won't go any higher than that when considering need/admission at HYS?

[Howl]

Anyone going to the reception in DC in an hour or so?

ETA: if you see someone mention otters in their conversation, that will be me.

[Humbert Humbert]

Is it just me or is Columbia's fin aid process the most extensive out of most schools? All NYU, Chicago, and Penn wanted was FAFSA + Need Access.

So we need to submit the following, correct?

Need Access
FAFSA
Financial Aid Questionnaire form
2013 W2 and tax returns
Parents' 2013 W2 and tax returns


Is that right?

Just to be clear, this is correct.

Thanks. The website also says the tax docs need to be "signed". Does this literally mean you need to put your signature somewhere on the document, or is there some sort of electronic signature already included? Or does "signed" in this context mean something else all together?

[whippersnappery]

I take it if I got the butler they won't go any higher than that when considering need/admission at HYS?

I'm wondering the same thing. I say it can't hurt to ask, right?

[SplitMyPants]

Is it just me or is Columbia's fin aid process the most extensive out of most schools? All NYU, Chicago, and Penn wanted was FAFSA + Need Access.

So we need to submit the following, correct?

Need Access
FAFSA
Financial Aid Questionnaire form
2013 W2 and tax returns
Parents' 2013 W2 and tax returns


Is that right?

Just to be clear, this is correct.

Thanks. The website also says the tax docs need to be "signed". Does this literally mean you need to put your signature somewhere on the document, or is there some sort of electronic signature already included? Or does "signed" in this context mean something else all together?

There's a place at the bottom of your 1040 where you and anyone filing jointly need to sign and date.

[francesfarmer]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

[neprep]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

Did you call them to check if all of the required documents are in place or did they reach out to you about it?

[francesfarmer]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

Did you call them to check if all of the required documents are in place or did they reach out to you about it?

I called to check and they wouldn't even check for me, just told me to send it in since I'm pretty sure I forgot to. The woman on the phone did not seem to think it was a big deal at all.

When I submitted my tax returns via email (I know its not recommended, dgaf) I asked that the office confirm my financial aid materials were all in place and I never received a response.

[ga208]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Do they even ask for the W-2s? I don't remember seeing that for CLS.

[francesfarmer]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Do they even ask for the W-2s? I don't remember seeing that for CLS.

See like four posts above.

[neprep]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

Did you call them to check if all of the required documents are in place or did they reach out to you about it?

I called to check and they wouldn't even check for me, just told me to send it in since I'm pretty sure I forgot to. The woman on the phone did not seem to think it was a big deal at all.

When I submitted my tax returns via email (I know its not recommended, dgaf) I asked that the office confirm my financial aid materials were all in place and I never received a response.

Ahhh. So looks like if there is anything amiss in our forms we won't find out for a while. :/

[francesfarmer]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

Did you call them to check if all of the required documents are in place or did they reach out to you about it?

I called to check and they wouldn't even check for me, just told me to send it in since I'm pretty sure I forgot to. The woman on the phone did not seem to think it was a big deal at all.

When I submitted my tax returns via email (I know its not recommended, dgaf) I asked that the office confirm my financial aid materials were all in place and I never received a response.

Ahhh. So looks like if there is anything amiss in our forms we won't find out for a while. :/

I'm a deferred student so it may be different but oddly enough the admissions office called me last month to ask that I submit a final transcript from my UG which isn't due until the summer according to the website. I graduated in 2009 so its not like there was anything new...

[buffalo_]

Hmm. I never sent in W-2s last year and I got a decision. Maybe they only need W-2s if they are attached to your taxes for some reason?

Just spoke with the financial aid office and I forgot to send in my Financial Aid Questionnaire... Ugh. I hope this doesn't delay my decision much.

Did you call them to check if all of the required documents are in place or did they reach out to you about it?

I called to check and they wouldn't even check for me, just told me to send it in since I'm pretty sure I forgot to. The woman on the phone did not seem to think it was a big deal at all.

When I submitted my tax returns via email (I know its not recommended, dgaf) I asked that the office confirm my financial aid materials were all in place and I never received a response.

Ahhh. So looks like if there is anything amiss in our forms we won't find out for a while. :/

I got an email that I needed to submit some more material. (My father owns a small business and they wanted the corporate returns as well as personal). I don't know how fast they are going through everything but they will reach out to you if you are missing anything. If they don't reach out to you, it probably means they have everything they need.

[francesfarmer]

I got an email that I needed to submit some more material. (My father owns a small business and they wanted the corporate returns as well as personal). I don't know how fast they are going through everything but they will reach out to you if you are missing anything. If they don't reach out to you, it probably means they have everything they need.

Ugh, pissed they didn't tell me I had a missing form.

[t-14orbust]

Withdrawing now. Have fun guise

[AdInfinitum]

I got an email that I needed to submit some more material. (My father owns a small business and they wanted the corporate returns as well as personal). I don't know how fast they are going through everything but they will reach out to you if you are missing anything. If they don't reach out to you, it probably means they have everything they need.

Hmm, mind sharing what forms they requested? I just sent in my materials last week and I'm concerned I didn't send in the right ones. I kind of just sent in any documents referencing my father's business, but I believe his accountant hasn't sent all of them back to us yet.

[Typhoon24]

I also got an email last week to send in more documents. They wanted schedules A and B I think (attachments to 1040 form). I faxed it and they emailed me the same day telling me that it was received.

[buffalo_]

I got an email that I needed to submit some more material. (My father owns a small business and they wanted the corporate returns as well as personal). I don't know how fast they are going through everything but they will reach out to you if you are missing anything. If they don't reach out to you, it probably means they have everything they need.

Hmm, mind sharing what forms they requested? I just sent in my materials last week and I'm concerned I didn't send in the right ones. I kind of just sent in any documents referencing my father's business, but I believe his accountant hasn't sent all of them back to us yet.

They wanted SCorp returns for the businesses in addition to personal.

[canes14]

Quick question about financial aid.

I sent a letter to the financial aid office to let them know about other scholarship offers, but aside from an automated reply, never got any acknowledgement that it was received. Considering how busy their office is right now, would it be horribly annoying to call to confirm they got it? At ASW they said they really wanted to know about competing offers and I reallllyyyy don't want them to make my aid offer without that info.

Worth a phone call?

[schnaupal]

Quick question about financial aid.

I sent a letter to the financial aid office to let them know about other scholarship offers, but aside from an automated reply, never got any acknowledgement that it was received. Considering how busy their office is right now, would it be horribly annoying to call to confirm they got it? At ASW they said they really wanted to know about competing offers and I reallllyyyy don't want them to make my aid offer without that info.

Worth a phone call?

You should send that info to the admissions office, not the financial aid office. The financial aid office doesn't make any decisions about merit schollys.

[milkandcheerios]

Quick question about financial aid.

I sent a letter to the financial aid office to let them know about other scholarship offers, but aside from an automated reply, never got any acknowledgement that it was received. Considering how busy their office is right now, would it be horribly annoying to call to confirm they got it? At ASW they said they really wanted to know about competing offers and I reallllyyyy don't want them to make my aid offer without that info.

Worth a phone call?

This was before you received your initial aid offer? I always though that you shouldn't put all your cards on the table at first. What exactly did they say at ASW? I didn't send in competing offers with my financial aid documents and now i'm wondering if I should do that now or just wait for them to make an offer first.

[jdapplicant]

Quick question about financial aid.

I sent a letter to the financial aid office to let them know about other scholarship offers, but aside from an automated reply, never got any acknowledgement that it was received. Considering how busy their office is right now, would it be horribly annoying to call to confirm they got it? At ASW they said they really wanted to know about competing offers and I reallllyyyy don't want them to make my aid offer without that info.

Worth a phone call?

This was before you received your initial aid offer? I always though that you shouldn't put all your cards on the table at first. What exactly did they say at ASW? I didn't send in competing offers with my financial aid documents and now i'm wondering if I should do that now or just wait for them to make an offer first.

People seem to disagree on this topic. I'm not sending any competing offers until after I receive my initial offer. I think to do so would be limiting in the long-run.

[Humbert Humbert]

I don't see how it would be beneficial for you to give them all of your other offers up front. It certainly makes sense for them to want this information, so they can properly gauge their offer against what their peers have offered (i.e. not give you substantially more than others did).

[AdInfinitum]

Quick question about financial aid.

I sent a letter to the financial aid office to let them know about other scholarship offers, but aside from an automated reply, never got any acknowledgement that it was received. Considering how busy their office is right now, would it be horribly annoying to call to confirm they got it? At ASW they said they really wanted to know about competing offers and I reallllyyyy don't want them to make my aid offer without that info.

Worth a phone call?

I emailed them asking for confirmation of a fax on Friday morning and they never responded.

I think they're just swamped and taking forever to get back to us.