Columbia Law Class of 2015 Forum

[Bronck]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's what I did.

[icedflames]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's what I did.

I'll try to send an email to finaid tonight just for some clarification

[Bronck]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's what I did.

I'll try to send an email to finaid tonight just for some clarification

They took over a week to respond to my question, so I wouldn't get my hopes up haha. They said they were "inundated" with emails.

[Tiago Splitter]

Just talked to the folks at Health Services, and they said we can submit an official copy of our immunization history in lieu of having our doctor fill out the MMR form

Bronck you are an American hero. This is good info.

[Boston_NYG2245]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's it. I called and asked to make sure.

[Bronck]

Just talked to the folks at Health Services, and they said we can submit an official copy of our immunization history in lieu of having our doctor fill out the MMR form

Bronck you are an American hero. This is good info.

*Thumbs up* Let me post the full email for reference:

You may submit an official copy of your immunization history/labs in place of having your doctor complete the MMR form. Please be sure to include your full name, date of birth and UNI on your documentation.

Please also fill out the top portion of the Columbia University Immunization form and send it along with your records. The form is available at:
--LinkRemoved--

You may fax the records to the Immunization Office at 212-854-5078.

[icedflames]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's it. I called and asked to make sure.

Ah, that solves that problem. thanks

[Boston_NYG2245]

Quick financial aid question: for the federal loan application stuff due by May 15th, do we just fill out Columbia's federal direct loan request form and then do the electronic promissory note and the federal loan entrance counseling on studentsloans.gov? Is there anything else?

Also needing info on this

That's it. I called and asked to make sure.

Ah, that solves that problem. thanks

Yeah just make sure you do the MPNs and Entrance Counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans

[Bronck]

Yeah just make sure you do the MPNs and Entrance Counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans

Fortunately you can do the entrance counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans together (I think it's one of the options you select before starting it)

[Tiago Splitter]

Yeah just make sure you do the MPNs and Entrance Counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans

The system told me Columbia doesn't use that for Plus Loans, only Stafford. Did I screw something up?

[Elliott_Smith]

Awesome info, this thread is gold.

[blue_c]

You got a studio in lenfest? Isn't that like the most expensive option ? Yeah, 16-17 for orientation.... though the 13th is kind of late, I'd rather get there a few days earlier.

A studio at Lionsgate is even more. Its still ridiculous though.

Thanks for all the info guys!

Awesome info, this thread is gold.

[Boston_NYG2245]

Yeah just make sure you do the MPNs and Entrance Counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans

The system told me Columbia doesn't use that for Plus Loans, only Stafford. Did I screw something up?

I had no problem filling out both MPNs, maybe you did the wrong thing? I think the Entrance Counseling covers both, or at least when I view my completed entrance counseling thing it says that I've completed the DLP Counseling (which covers both) and I did seperate MPNS for the Stafford and PLUS.

[Tiago Splitter]

Yeah just make sure you do the MPNs and Entrance Counseling for both Stafford and PLUS loans

The system told me Columbia doesn't use that for Plus Loans, only Stafford. Did I screw something up?

I had no problem filling out both MPNs, maybe you did the wrong thing? I think the Entrance Counseling covers both, or at least when I view my completed entrance counseling thing it says that I've completed the DLP Counseling (which covers both) and I did seperate MPNS for the Stafford and PLUS.

Looks like the problem was that I tried to request a plus loan rather than an MPN. Got it all straightened out. Thanks.

[gossipgirl]

Is the amount that we're putting down as the amount we want to borrow on these forms something that can be amended at a later date? If I put down 40k in GradPlus loans for the whole 2012-13 year, for example, and then only need 10k in August and 10k in January, can I just choose not to take the disbursement then or are we locked into taking the whole amount initially?

I know you can just pay it back if it's too much but there's a huge origination fee on these loans so I don't needlessly want to pay those fees.

Thanks!

[Boston_NYG2245]

Is the amount that we're putting down as the amount we want to borrow on these forms something that can be amended at a later date? If I put down 40k in GradPlus loans for the whole 2012-13 year, for example, and then only need 10k in August and 10k in January, can I just choose not to take the disbursement then or are we locked into taking the whole amount initially?

I know you can just pay it back if it's too much but there's a huge origination fee on these loans so I don't needlessly want to pay those fees.

Thanks!

I asked this too. You can amend how much you're borrowing at any time. If you overborrowed just return the money, if you underborrow you can get more. But keep in mind that the origination fee (4%) gets capitalized, not sure how refunding that works.

[Bronck]

Is the amount that we're putting down as the amount we want to borrow on these forms something that can be amended at a later date? If I put down 40k in GradPlus loans for the whole 2012-13 year, for example, and then only need 10k in August and 10k in January, can I just choose not to take the disbursement then or are we locked into taking the whole amount initially?

I know you can just pay it back if it's too much but there's a huge origination fee on these loans so I don't needlessly want to pay those fees.

Thanks!

I asked this too. You can amend how much you're borrowing at any time. If you overborrowed just return the money, if you underborrow you can get more. But keep in mind that the origination fee (4%) gets capitalized, not sure how refunding that works.

is it capitalized immediately upon disbursement?

[gossipgirl]

Is the amount that we're putting down as the amount we want to borrow on these forms something that can be amended at a later date? If I put down 40k in GradPlus loans for the whole 2012-13 year, for example, and then only need 10k in August and 10k in January, can I just choose not to take the disbursement then or are we locked into taking the whole amount initially?

I know you can just pay it back if it's too much but there's a huge origination fee on these loans so I don't needlessly want to pay those fees.

Thanks!

I asked this too. You can amend how much you're borrowing at any time. If you overborrowed just return the money, if you underborrow you can get more. But keep in mind that the origination fee (4%) gets capitalized, not sure how refunding that works.

Thanks. By amend any time, I assume that includes pre-disbursement?

[Boston_NYG2245]

Is the amount that we're putting down as the amount we want to borrow on these forms something that can be amended at a later date? If I put down 40k in GradPlus loans for the whole 2012-13 year, for example, and then only need 10k in August and 10k in January, can I just choose not to take the disbursement then or are we locked into taking the whole amount initially?

I know you can just pay it back if it's too much but there's a huge origination fee on these loans so I don't needlessly want to pay those fees.

Thanks!

I asked this too. You can amend how much you're borrowing at any time. If you overborrowed just return the money, if you underborrow you can get more. But keep in mind that the origination fee (4%) gets capitalized, not sure how refunding that works.

Thanks. By amend any time, I assume that includes pre-disbursement?

I would believe so. Sorry, the origination fee isn't capitalized, its just deducted from the principle.

[blue_c]

Thanks. By amend any time, I assume that includes pre-disbursement?

I'm pretty sure it says that you can accept any amount when its disbursed, so yeah. If you want to change it beforehand, I'm sure you can.

Ugh. I'm behind on my loan apps.

[Bronck]

I would believe so. Sorry, the origination fee isn't capitalized, its just deducted from the principle.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the clarification. So in essence, if we ask for 30k in PLUS loans, we're only getting 28.8k?

[Tiago Splitter]

I would believe so. Sorry, the origination fee isn't capitalized, its just deducted from the principle.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the clarification. So in essence, if we ask for 30k in PLUS loans, we're only getting 28.8k?

Yeah. They front you the 4% for the privilege.

[Elliott_Smith]

Ugh. I'm behind on my loan apps.

This.

SO I need to account for 4% origination in the requested amount?

I really need to get on that.

In other news, passed the CBT!

[Bronck]

Ugh. I'm behind on my loan apps.

This.

SO I need to account for 4% origination in the requested amount?

I really need to get on that.

In other news, passed the CBT!

Yeah. Looks like I'll end up having around 2k less in total, but I can't imagine that will be a problem.

[Elliott_Smith]

Same. I guess it's not a huge deal given that we can always request more.