adorablepancreas

I attended Admitted Students Day and can share! I didn't hear any alumni speak but I spoke with several current students (student ambassadors) who made me fall in love with the program even more. One of them is finishing her second year field placement at the United Nations!! So cool! The students gave me several tips on how to navigate around the city on a budget, and the best housing options. (For me, coming from California, it makes sense to try for campus housing. At least for the first term. West coast students are very likely to get it and it's more spacious than regular NYC apartments. Sometimes it's a little more expensive than a room you can rent off campus but the convenience is worth it. If I want to move off campus at any point I can sublet my campus room.) Additionally, one of the students was telling me that the school has many high profile speakers (Hillary Clinton in the past, as an example) and you can attend those events for free as a student. You also have free admission to a lot of the most famous museums in the city with your CU ID card. The school's program really is unparalleled. The weekend was a bit of a whirlwind but everything the student ambassadors were telling me about their experiences had me lighting up inside with excitement. They did say, as we've all heard, it's important to advocate for yourself in this program. If you need to speak with someone in one of the offices and you don't push for it, they can drag their feet. So you have to be persistent and tell them "I need this to be done." But that's a small negative for me, in the grand scheme of things. And it may help me learn to advocate for my clients better as well, so that's a plus! As far as financial aid, there are scholarships, loans, and "alternative eligibility" (more loans.) They do their best to roll over your aid from first year and make it the same the second year, unless there's a drastic change in your income or you get married to someone with money or something. The federal direct unsubsidized loans are one of the main loan types, and the alternative eligibility can mean either graduate PLUS loans (the federal government is the lender) or private bank loans. Both of those are based on your credit so they recommend taking a look at your credit history now to make sure there is no adverse information. If you do have a negative history you may need a cosigner for that loan with good credit. As far as these two options go, the PLUS loan is recommended because the credit restrictions are a little bit less strict. If you receive an outside scholarship, you need to let the office of financial aid know so that they can adjust their offered aid package accordingly. Columbia used to award work study payments for your field internship (if you're given work study) but they're changing that this year. If you get work study and accept it you'd need to secure a separate job. The school doesn't recommend having a job for at least the first semester because of time management reasons. There are, however, a number of ways to become involved in research projects. One of those ways is a paid research assistantship (limited number of spots but one of the student ambassadors from yesterday had one of these positions) and that helps you network with professors also who can provide recommendations for you, for either a PhD program or a job. I think that's most of the financual aid info I have right now!

Congrats!

Hey everyone, I emailed the financial aid office and they said they are anticipating sending out financial aid award information in March. They are currently compiling the database.

Congratulations!

I submitted my application on November 28th, my last letter of rec was completed on the 1st of December. I got an email a few days after that saying my app was complete. I'd say somewhere around December 5th or so. I received my acceptance on January 23rd. So I guess a month and three weeks-ish?

Not yet! Been waiting on pins and needles!

Congratulations on your acceptance! I heard about admitted students day on the facebook group that the school created for newly admitted students. I received an email to a link for the group a day or two after I was admitted. the group also has current students who we can ask questions. They were the ones that said admitted students day was April 1st. I emailed admissions to confirm and they said yes, that's what they're planning and info would go out soon.

Congratulations!!

Congrats!

Has anyone received an email about Admitted Students Day? On the FB group a student ambassador said it would be April 1st but I want to wait for official information about timing of events before I buy plane tickets.

I think my acceptance letter said I would hear about financial aid and other matters in the coming weeks. Not entirely sure when that means! And I believe for the first year aid is all need based but I could be wrong.

I'll keep sending you good vibes

I declined my offer yesterday! I hope you get in!

It is!! Thank you so much!!

Congratulations!