Columbia Class of 2017 Forum

[Theopliske8711]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/222303354632252/

Here is the group. Obviously we can only go by an honor system of sorts.

[milkandcheerios]

congrats and welcome, new admits!!

So happy to finally be able to check in!

Does everyone think ASW is a must? I already visited the law school last summer when I happened to be in NYC. I know ASW is completely different that walking around an empty building/campus but its just so expensive to fly in from the west coast.

I thought ASW was really great, and if you have any reservations about Columbia, you should definitely go. For me, talking with current students face-to-face is a crucial part of the decision-making process. that said, I was only coming from Boston, so I mega-bused round trip for $35 AND had a place to stay, and if it wasn't so cheap for me, I probably wouldn't have gone...


Also, a question: Is it okay to fill out the Columbia housing application if we aren't 100% committed to going yet? I mean, I'm heavily leaning... just waiting on $$$ stuff from several schools.

thanks for the insight! I don't really have any reservations about Columbia and its my clear top choice at this point. The only other schools that I would consider are Chicago and Harvard and seeing how I haven't gotten into either one of those, I almost don't see the point of going to ASW because I don't think I would change my decision one way or the other. (also its right before Coachella weekend 1 so perhaps I'm just trying to looks for excuses to not go)

[milkandcheerios]

Also, a question: Is it okay to fill out the Columbia housing application if we aren't 100% committed to going yet? I mean, I'm heavily leaning... just waiting on $$$ stuff from several schools.

Yeah, I submitted mine. You don't have to accept the offer they give you.

Also they make it clear that you're not making an official commitment to them unless you send in the deposit.

Is it recommended that 1Ls live in student housing? How do prices/convenience compare to renting around the area?

[Theopliske8711]

Prices in the area won't get much better, but you could find significantly cheaper housing in Harlem, which is pretty well populated with Columbia students, and only a short subway ride away from campus. That said, if you're not in the area, it may be a headache to look.

You can also check out the off campus housing ads.

[BanjoCalhoun]

Excuse my ignorance if this has already been addressed, but I've heard from a reliable person that students will only receive merit aid with their letter of admission. Is there anything on the Columbia website (that I've missed) or from past cycles that might indicate otherwise?

Has anyone been awarded scholarships other than Butlers or Hamiltons with their letter of admission?

[Theopliske8711]

Pretty sure that there is little to no chance that that is true. They are asking for financial forms for a reason.

[jdapplicant]

Excuse my ignorance if this has already been addressed, but I've heard from a reliable person that students will only receive merit aid with their letter of admission. Is there anything on the Columbia website (that I've missed) or from past cycles that might indicate otherwise?

Has anyone been awarded scholarships other than Butlers or Hamiltons with their letter of admission?

People have received named scholarships with their letter of admission but no one has been notified of any other merit aid yet. They started reviewing fin aid apps March 15th so we should start hearing back soon.

[mt2165]

^Correct. Also anyone relatively PI/Gov oriented? Any thoughts about how the new PLSF budget proposal might affect Columbia's LRAP? I'm not sure if it will since Columbia has an IBR independent LRAP option, but it's honestly a HUGE concern for me and I'm sure other PI people.

[Theopliske8711]

I accidentally denied someones request today. I dont want to mention a name, but if you have requested to join the FB group and have not been accepted, just send me another request.

[runthetrap]

FB page is up. Went ahead and made it. For those wanting in. Just search "Columbia Law School - Class of 2017" and let the creeping begin.

theopliske, thanks for doing that! it's much appreciated

it's great to be able to see some of your faces & names, fellow columbia 0Ls!

[kitkat288]

So do you need to fill in all the finaid forms to be considered for merit? It seemed from the website that would be only need based grants... ( no chance of merit $$, but here's to hoping).

[drevo]

So do you need to fill in all the finaid forms to be considered for merit? It seemed from the website that would be only need based grants... ( no chance of merit $$, but here's to hoping).

The general consensus is that if you submit all the forms for "need based grants" they will also consider your merit when granting you an award. So their "merit" aid is factored into the need based grant. This isn't a perfect science and I would assume that someone who would normally pull some merit scholly aid but is extremely wealthy probably won't get the same aid as an identical candidate who is poor.

[francesfarmer]

As someone who went through the financial aid process last year, I just want to encourage my fellow low-parental-income folks by saying that Columbia does give out some need-based aid. Key word: some. I'm not in range for merit aid (barely scraped up my acceptance) and CLS gave me more than a lot of lower-ranked schools.

[Theopliske8711]

I wonder if they supplement a Butler with some need-based. Hoping for some as well. Not much, but honestly an extra 3-5k a year would be great.

[kitkat288]

So do you need to fill in all the finaid forms to be considered for merit? It seemed from the website that would be only need based grants... ( no chance of merit $$, but here's to hoping).

The general consensus is that if you submit all the forms for "need based grants" they will also consider your merit when granting you an award. So their "merit" aid is factored into the need based grant. This isn't a perfect science and I would assume that someone who would normally pull some merit scholly aid but is extremely wealthy probably won't get the same aid as an identical candidate who is poor.

ok, thanks! Probably not in the running for need-aid, so I wasn't sure if I needed to submit anything.

[francesfarmer]

^Correct. Also anyone relatively PI/Gov oriented? Any thoughts about how the new PLSF budget proposal might affect Columbia's LRAP? I'm not sure if it will since Columbia has an IBR independent LRAP option, but it's honestly a HUGE concern for me and I'm sure other PI people.

CLS does have an IBR independent LRAP option. When I spoke to the head of LRAP last year she told me the specifics. You should set up a meeting! From what I remember, very few people who use CLS LRAP are on IBR (like, single digits).

[mt2165]

^Correct. Also anyone relatively PI/Gov oriented? Any thoughts about how the new PLSF budget proposal might affect Columbia's LRAP? I'm not sure if it will since Columbia has an IBR independent LRAP option, but it's honestly a HUGE concern for me and I'm sure other PI people.

CLS does have an IBR independent LRAP option. When I spoke to the head of LRAP last year she told me the specifics. You should set up a meeting! From what I remember, very few people who use CLS LRAP are on IBR (like, single digits).

That's good. My only concern is that with the pending legislation, schools will be disincentivized to offer LRAP's (that are combined with PLSF) at all since they would have to cover the difference between the amount owed and the proposed forgiveness cap. But yeah I'll need to talk to them. I absolutely wanna go to Columbia I just don't know if it'll be financially feasible

[Hitchensian]

Checking in! Accepted today and planning to attend the admitted students event on April 9-10!

[yomisterd]

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.

[milkandcheerios]

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.

Harvard as a pretty extensive process as well from what I was reading on their website but Columbia's is probably the worst outside of HYS. NYU and Duke were easy breezy, Need Access was not even required.

[AdInfinitum]

As someone who went through the financial aid process last year, I just want to encourage my fellow low-parental-income folks by saying that Columbia does give out some need-based aid. Key word: some. I'm not in range for merit aid (barely scraped up my acceptance) and CLS gave me more than a lot of lower-ranked schools.

This is good to hear! What would you say qualifies as low-parental-income? <50k? I'm hoping Columbia will give me something

[francesfarmer]

As someone who went through the financial aid process last year, I just want to encourage my fellow low-parental-income folks by saying that Columbia does give out some need-based aid. Key word: some. I'm not in range for merit aid (barely scraped up my acceptance) and CLS gave me more than a lot of lower-ranked schools.

This is good to hear! What would you say qualifies as low-parental-income? <50k? I'm hoping Columbia will give me something

To provide a data point, my parent makes <$20k and is disabled and I got $15k a year with really mediocre numbers (like on the LSN graph I am basically the person closest to (0,0) who is not a URM).

She owns a house though, that probably screwed 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?

[francesfarmer]

You need to submit you and your parents' 2012 and 2013 signed tax returns, no W-2s, if I'm remembering correctly.

[Humbert Humbert]

You need to submit you and your parents' 2012 and 2013 signed tax returns, no W-2s, if I'm remembering correctly.

Looks like W2 as well. From the CLS website:

By March 1, first-year grant applicants who have been admitted (Class of 2017) must submit complete copies of signed 2013 federal income tax forms (with all schedules, attachments, and W-2 forms) for all persons included on the Need Access application.