Columbia Law School 2012! Forum

[sbalive]

Bringing it back to hounsing:
anyone who went to the visits get a good sense of what the different apartments were like?
I went to lenfest and I know its the king of comfort (and price), assuming you hate having a living room. I am looking into the shares and I was curious about what people thought buildingwise. Comparing the shares and lionsgate and such. On Columbia's housing site it lists 420 West 116th and 400 Block of West 115th as the law school only shares.

I was unimpressed with the Lenfest studio I saw, even irrespective of the price. The unfurnished shares were nice (with niceness more or less proportional to price), but the furniture in the furnished ones was really lousy. Also, all the shares would be with grad students even if they're not law school-only.

[UnknownElementX]

so are the two areas listed just more expensive shares out of the total pool?
and to everyone, what were your preferred apartment visits or things you had heard about apartments?

[SleekFire]

I don't understand....

They say the max loan is about $20,000 so the other $20,000 has to be taken out in private loans?

[frank_the_tank]

I don't understand....

They say the max loan is about $20,000 so the other $20,000 has to be taken out in private loans?

Stafford loans are 20,500 a year. You can get GradPLUS up to the COA minus the stafford loans. Both are federal loans.

[mp2012]

so are the two areas listed just more expensive shares out of the total pool?
and to everyone, what were your preferred apartment visits or things you had heard about apartments?

I liked UAH apartment shares. Great value and some rooms were very big! I have to admit that cost matters to me more than anything and I definitely requested an apartment share for less than $850. Two people I talked to when I visited had nice apartment shares for around there, maybe even less.

Yes, some were a bit dingy, but I am used to it.

On the UAH housing form, I requested an apartment share under $850 between 111th and 121st and Riverside and Morningside.

[whyamidoingthis]

so are the two areas listed just more expensive shares out of the total pool?
and to everyone, what were your preferred apartment visits or things you had heard about apartments?

I liked UAH apartment shares. Great value and some rooms were very big! I have to admit that cost matters to me more than anything and I definitely requested an apartment share for less than $850. Two people I talked to when I visited had nice apartment shares for around there, maybe even less.

Yes, some were a bit dingy, but I am used to it.

On the UAH housing form, I requested an apartment share under $850 between 111th and 121st and Riverside and Morningside.

Yes, I care about space (and cost after a certain point) and the UAH apartments were really big! I requested a share too.

[cameltaur]

Has anybody been inside an apartment at 420 W. 116th St., the all-law student (i think) building right across from Jerome Greene? I was pretty set on just doing a Lenfest studio but I wouldn't mind the extra space of a one bedroom (and even the lower cost), but I didn't get a chance to see that building. Does anyone know how it is?

[SleekFire]

I don't understand....

They say the max loan is about $20,000 so the other $20,000 has to be taken out in private loans?

Stafford loans are 20,500 a year. You can get GradPLUS up to the COA minus the stafford loans. Both are federal loans.

How are the GradPLUS loans? and where to I find out about them...

Thanks Frank!

[frank_the_tank]

I don't understand....

They say the max loan is about $20,000 so the other $20,000 has to be taken out in private loans?

Stafford loans are 20,500 a year. You can get GradPLUS up to the COA minus the stafford loans. Both are federal loans.

How are the GradPLUS loans? and where to I find out about them...

Thanks Frank!

Here is a link to Discover's student loan program..they are the best I have found so far. Pretty much tells you all the terms and stuff..

http://www.discoverstudentloans.com/stu ... udent.aspx

[UnknownElementX]

On the UAH housing form, I requested an apartment share under $850 between 111th and 121st and Riverside and Morningside.

Why did you pick that area specifically?

[mp2012]

Has anybody been inside an apartment at 420 W. 116th St., the all-law student (i think) building right across from Jerome Greene? I was pretty set on just doing a Lenfest studio but I wouldn't mind the extra space of a one bedroom (and even the lower cost), but I didn't get a chance to see that building. Does anyone know how it is?

My host lived in that building. Her couples' one-bedroom apartment was amazing! It was gorgeous, spacious and a bit pricey although still less than Lenfest. I liked it a lot, and if cost wasn't such a huge issue for me, I would have requested that particular building. Can't beat living across the street!

As for loans, I'm going with Access Group.

[mp2012]

On the UAH housing form, I requested an apartment share under $850 between 111th and 121st and Riverside and Morningside.

Why did you pick that area specifically?

Oh, and I picked that area to be 4-5 blocks away from the law school. I don't want to be too far off.

[SleekFire]

I don't understand....

They say the max loan is about $20,000 so the other $20,000 has to be taken out in private loans?

Stafford loans are 20,500 a year. You can get GradPLUS up to the COA minus the stafford loans. Both are federal loans.

How are the GradPLUS loans? and where to I find out about them...

Thanks Frank!

Here is a link to Discover's student loan program..they are the best I have found so far. Pretty much tells you all the terms and stuff..

http://www.discoverstudentloans.com/stu ... udent.aspx

Thanks Frank...


I have never done this before and I really don't know so please bear with me...


It seems to me that the Certified private loans are better then the GradPLUS loans????

What am I missing?

[aguyingeorgia]

You will be missing the Dean's Cup. Again.

[huckabees]

Has anybody been inside an apartment at 420 W. 116th St., the all-law student (i think) building right across from Jerome Greene? I was pretty set on just doing a Lenfest studio but I wouldn't mind the extra space of a one bedroom (and even the lower cost), but I didn't get a chance to see that building. Does anyone know how it is?

My host lived in that building. Her couples' one-bedroom apartment was amazing! It was gorgeous, spacious and a bit pricey although still less than Lenfest. I liked it a lot, and if cost wasn't such a huge issue for me, I would have requested that particular building. Can't beat living across the street!

As for loans, I'm going with Access Group.

That's nice to know! Are 1BRs available for that apartment? If so, do you know what the apartment building is called?

I also would prefer that over a studio (plus the lower cost).

Thanks!

[Unemployed]

You will be missing the Dean's Cup. Again.

Rivalries are created by weak teams

[frank_the_tank]

It seems to me that the Certified private loans are better then the GradPLUS loans????

What am I missing?

Well the private loans depend on your credit score. If it isn't so hot you could end up with prime +4% or something. Also, they are variable rate loans...so you never know what will happen in the future.

I'm actually considering private loans instead of GradPlus as well. The only reason for that though is because I think I may try to pay off my entire debt in like 4 years. If you are planning on repaying in 10+ years...GradPlus is definitely better IMO.

[SleekFire]

It seems to me that the Certified private loans are better then the GradPLUS loans????

What am I missing?

Well the private loans depend on your credit score. If it isn't so hot you could end up with prime +4% or something. Also, they are variable rate loans...so you never know what will happen in the future.

I'm actually considering private loans instead of GradPlus as well. The only reason for that though is because I think I may try to pay off my entire debt in like 4 years. If you are planning on repaying in 10+ years...GradPlus is definitely better IMO.

Oh, so what is "prime"?

(thanks again for educating the n00b )

Also, is there a maximum the unfixed rate can go to?

[jmat]

From all I can tell the fixed grad plus rate is almost always the best bet in terms of school loans. I wouldn't touch a variable rate loan with a ten foot pole these days. But then I am relatively risk averse.

Also, Columbia came through with some excellent money for me, so I am pretty sure, pending some crazy, wacky turn of events, that I will be joining all y'all in Morningside Heights next year and I couldn't be more excited.

[frank_the_tank]

Here you can see a chart of the last few years' Prime Rate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Stree ... prime_rate

As you can see, as recently as 2001 it was 9%. That isn't including whatever the bank charges you (depending on your credit/ability to get a cosigner).

[bermuda]

.

[sbalive]

You can negotiate a lot of terms of private loans, especially if you have a cosigner... and the Fed is trying to establish backing for student loans. I'm going to investigate it, but in a couple weeks after I finalize my decision.

[mp2012]

Has anybody been inside an apartment at 420 W. 116th St., the all-law student (i think) building right across from Jerome Greene? I was pretty set on just doing a Lenfest studio but I wouldn't mind the extra space of a one bedroom (and even the lower cost), but I didn't get a chance to see that building. Does anyone know how it is?

My host lived in that building. Her couples' one-bedroom apartment was amazing! It was gorgeous, spacious and a bit pricey although still less than Lenfest. I liked it a lot, and if cost wasn't such a huge issue for me, I would have requested that particular building. Can't beat living across the street!

As for loans, I'm going with Access Group.

That's nice to know! Are 1BRs available for that apartment? If so, do you know what the apartment building is called?

I also would prefer that over a studio (plus the lower cost).

Thanks!

420 W. 116th St.; 1 bedrooms are available, but I'm guessing couples get priority.

[huckabees]

Has anybody been inside an apartment at 420 W. 116th St., the all-law student (i think) building right across from Jerome Greene? I was pretty set on just doing a Lenfest studio but I wouldn't mind the extra space of a one bedroom (and even the lower cost), but I didn't get a chance to see that building. Does anyone know how it is?

My host lived in that building. Her couples' one-bedroom apartment was amazing! It was gorgeous, spacious and a bit pricey although still less than Lenfest. I liked it a lot, and if cost wasn't such a huge issue for me, I would have requested that particular building. Can't beat living across the street!

As for loans, I'm going with Access Group.

That's nice to know! Are 1BRs available for that apartment? If so, do you know what the apartment building is called?

I also would prefer that over a studio (plus the lower cost).

Thanks!

420 W. 116th St.; 1 bedrooms are available, but I'm guessing couples get priority.

Thanks -- do you know what the price range is? I was actually under the impression that law students are not allowed to have 1BRs and that they were only reserved for couples, at least for law student only housing. Not sure for University Assisted Housing.

[Lem37]

My host lived in that building. Her couples' one-bedroom apartment was amazing! It was gorgeous, spacious and a bit pricey although still less than Lenfest. I liked it a lot, and if cost wasn't such a huge issue for me, I would have requested that particular building. Can't beat living across the street!

As for loans, I'm going with Access Group.

That's nice to know! Are 1BRs available for that apartment? If so, do you know what the apartment building is called?

I also would prefer that over a studio (plus the lower cost).

Thanks!

420 W. 116th St.; 1 bedrooms are available, but I'm guessing couples get priority.

Thanks -- do you know what the price range is? I was actually under the impression that law students are not allowed to have 1BRs and that they were only reserved for couples, at least for law student only housing. Not sure for University Assisted Housing.

http://facilities.columbia.edu/housing/

The answer to every question you have regarding housing can be found there. Go nuts.