Loan Applications for Columbia (Stafford & Grad PLUS) Forum

[NYC2013]

I got a grant award at Columbia but I really can't figure out their Loan Applications, they don't seem to have updated anything for the new laws on federal loans. Also, their contact number for the financial aid office routed me to a lengthy phone tree reciting the outdated information on their website.
I'm anticipating a hellish experience with their financial aid office over the next few years based on what I've seen already, but either way I wanted to know if anyone has figured out for sure how they are doing their loan applications for Stafford loans (subsidized & unsubsidized) and Grad PLUS loans....are they really going to be online at the end of April (only 2 weeks before deadline for an important decision)? and are they going to be entirely online or require paper MPN's and such?

[swc65]

They said they would email us with info regarding loans. The law did not give them much notice to change everything.

Also, I have never had a problem getting through to finaid. If you're pressing buttons quickly, try listening to the entire message once you call the number and there should be an option to speak with someone.

[wjnahill]

I got a grant award at Columbia but I really can't figure out their Loan Applications, they don't seem to have updated anything for the new laws on federal loans. Also, their contact number for the financial aid office routed me to a lengthy phone tree reciting the outdated information on their website.
I'm anticipating a hellish experience with their financial aid office over the next few years based on what I've seen already, but either way I wanted to know if anyone has figured out for sure how they are doing their loan applications for Stafford loans (subsidized & unsubsidized) and Grad PLUS loans....are they really going to be online at the end of April (only 2 weeks before deadline for an important decision)? and are they going to be entirely online or require paper MPN's and such?

+1 with the confusion. Are the loan applications for Stafford and Grad PLUS loans online yet? If so, could someone provide the link? If not, do we know when the applications will be available?