Columbia Class of 2020 Forum

[CA1993]

Does anyone know if classes start officially on the 16th of August?

[RSN]

Does anyone know if classes start officially on the 16th of August?

The calendar for the year is still tentative but Legal Methods will almost certainly start that day for you.

[erwuxvcm]

Is there anyone here who has more or less settled on Columbia and is also dead-set on doing public interest work? If so, can I pm you? Curious to hear what you've learned doing your due diligence and interested in comparing notes about the benefits/challenges of taking that route at CLS.

[Kaziende]

Is there anyone here who has more or less settled on Columbia and is also dead-set on doing public interest work? If so, can I pm you? Curious to hear what you've learned doing your due diligence and interested in comparing notes about the benefits/challenges of taking that route at CLS.

Me! Let's talk.

[pretzeltime]

Is there anyone here who has more or less settled on Columbia and is also dead-set on doing public interest work? If so, can I pm you? Curious to hear what you've learned doing your due diligence and interested in comparing notes about the benefits/challenges of taking that route at CLS.

Ooh ooh me too. Currently elbow-deep in due diligence. PM me!

[Thelaw23]

I just want to get my award letter and fill out the housing application already

[erwuxvcm]

Is there anyone here who has more or less settled on Columbia and is also dead-set on doing public interest work? If so, can I pm you? Curious to hear what you've learned doing your due diligence and interested in comparing notes about the benefits/challenges of taking that route at CLS.

If anyone is reading this and interested, we made a slack channel to share intel. PM me and I'll send you the invite link.

[jjcorvino]

Just saw that tuition is now $65k. Wth Columbia? There is no reason for you to be the most expensive law school in the country while having the highest COL as well. Give us a bit of love for having to pay NYC prices!

[MrJD2020]

Anyone else here going to admitted students days on Wed the 29th and Thur the 30th?

NYU has it on Thurs/Fri, and I'm dead set on Columbia at this point. Would it be worthwhile to still stop by NYU's second day (Fri)?

[jpark86]

Anyone else here going to admitted students days on Wed the 29th and Thur the 30th?

NYU has it on Thurs/Fri, and I'm dead set on Columbia at this point. Would it be worthwhile to still stop by NYU's second day (Fri)?

Im going to both, but if you're gonna get free stuff (meals and drinks) anyway, why not also check out NYU? To be honest, Greenwich Village is a much more hip and fun place than Morning Side Heights.

[MrJD2020]

Anyone else here going to admitted students days on Wed the 29th and Thur the 30th?

NYU has it on Thurs/Fri, and I'm dead set on Columbia at this point. Would it be worthwhile to still stop by NYU's second day (Fri)?

Im going to both, but if you're gonna get free stuff (meals and drinks) anyway, why not also check out NYU? To be honest, Greenwich Village is a much more hip and fun place than Morning Side Heights.

I have a job! lol. I'm taking three days off right before Columbia's ASDs for a trip, so I don't want to take advantage of my boss's support of me through this whole process by taking more days off for law school stuff than necessary.

[palalc]

Anyone have an idea of when Columbia will start to send non-named aid awards?

Also, given that my stats are more appealing to Columbia vs Chicago due to Columbia's lower GPA median, how inclined do you think they will be to match or increase the aid award I have received from Chicago? Especially given NY's higher COL, their 'fall' in the rankings, and the fact that Columbia's resources and course offerings are demonstrably more in line with my interests?

[Thelaw23]

Anyone have an idea of when Columbia will start to send non-named aid awards?

Also, given that my stats are more appealing to Columbia vs Chicago due to Columbia's lower GPA median, how inclined do you think they will be to match or increase the aid award I have received from Chicago? Especially given NY's higher COL, their 'fall' in the rankings, and the fact that Columbia's resources and course offerings are demonstrably more in line with my interests?

Since they are peer schools I think there is a high chance of Columbia trying to match or increasing your offer if Chicago gave you more. I think the "fall" in the rankings is completely irrelevant to the question and the biggest factor would be where it looks like you might want to live.

Also, someone wrote that they called the financial aid office this week and were told that they are still compiling all the financial information. So no non-named aid awards have been sent out yet. In an email they wrote that the award offers will start coming out late March/early April, but knowing Columbia they will only start sending them out mid-April.

[dddddd90]

Anyone heard anything about non Butler/Hamilton named awards?

[Anon.y.mousse.]

Anyone heard anything about non Butler/Hamilton named awards?

I think someone said that they called finaid this past week and they haven't even started looking at financial aid applications. Since they technically don't have merit aid outside of Butler/Hamilton awards that would be awarded independently of the rest of the financial aid award, I think it will be a while.

[palalc]

Anyone have an idea of when Columbia will start to send non-named aid awards?

Also, given that my stats are more appealing to Columbia vs Chicago due to Columbia's lower GPA median, how inclined do you think they will be to match or increase the aid award I have received from Chicago? Especially given NY's higher COL, their 'fall' in the rankings, and the fact that Columbia's resources and course offerings are demonstrably more in line with my interests?

Since they are peer schools I think there is a high chance of Columbia trying to match or increasing your offer if Chicago gave you more. I think the "fall" in the rankings is completely irrelevant to the question and the biggest factor would be where it looks like you might want to live.

Also, someone wrote that they called the financial aid office this week and were told that they are still compiling all the financial information. So no non-named aid awards have been sent out yet. In an email they wrote that the award offers will start coming out late March/early April, but knowing Columbia they will only start sending them out mid-April.

And so I assume the way to go about getting them to match/increase the aid award to equal Chicago's is to wait until they send out their initial offer then, assuming its lower, politely reply with the Chicago award (and of course the reasons that I prefer Columbia)?

[MrJD2020]

What did you guys put down for expected living cost in your financial aid questionnaire? I wanted to say $2,400 but don't want them to think I'm just being ridiculous. I plan to live in an big studio or a 1BR off-campus, unless I can get into a big-ish Lionsgate studio or a 1BR (despite not being a couple or having kids).

[dddddd90]

What did you guys put down for expected living cost in your financial aid questionnaire? I wanted to say $2,400 but don't want them to think I'm just being ridiculous. I plan to live in an big studio or a 1BR off-campus, unless I can get into a big-ish Lionsgate studio or a 1BR (despite not being a couple or having kids).

I don't think it matters. They'll offer you up to COA in PLUS loans (minus Stafford and need aid, if any), and your planned living expenditures shouldn't impact your need evaluation.

[AFtoLawschool]

What did you guys put down for expected living cost in your financial aid questionnaire? I wanted to say $2,400 but don't want them to think I'm just being ridiculous. I plan to live in an big studio or a 1BR off-campus, unless I can get into a big-ish Lionsgate studio or a 1BR (despite not being a couple or having kids).

I put like $2,500. I'm married, no way I'm living in a studio with my wife. We need our separate space sometimes, especially for studying and such.

I don't think it makes a difference.

[MrJD2020]

What did you guys put down for expected living cost in your financial aid questionnaire? I wanted to say $2,400 but don't want them to think I'm just being ridiculous. I plan to live in an big studio or a 1BR off-campus, unless I can get into a big-ish Lionsgate studio or a 1BR (despite not being a couple or having kids).

I put like $2,500. I'm married, no way I'm living in a studio with my wife. We need our separate space sometimes, especially for studying and such.

I don't think it makes a difference.

Thanks.

[Thelaw23]

Anyone have an idea of when Columbia will start to send non-named aid awards?

Also, given that my stats are more appealing to Columbia vs Chicago due to Columbia's lower GPA median, how inclined do you think they will be to match or increase the aid award I have received from Chicago? Especially given NY's higher COL, their 'fall' in the rankings, and the fact that Columbia's resources and course offerings are demonstrably more in line with my interests?

Since they are peer schools I think there is a high chance of Columbia trying to match or increasing your offer if Chicago gave you more. I think the "fall" in the rankings is completely irrelevant to the question and the biggest factor would be where it looks like you might want to live.

Also, someone wrote that they called the financial aid office this week and were told that they are still compiling all the financial information. So no non-named aid awards have been sent out yet. In an email they wrote that the award offers will start coming out late March/early April, but knowing Columbia they will only start sending them out mid-April.

And so I assume the way to go about getting them to match/increase the aid award to equal Chicago's is to wait until they send out their initial offer then, assuming its lower, politely reply with the Chicago award (and of course the reasons that I prefer Columbia)?

Yes, that's what I would do.






Also, has anyone received the PID for the housing apps

[Leliana]

Also, has anyone received the PID for the housing apps

I got an email with housing info/PID/signup code on March 9.

[poliksa]

has anyone who attended or will be attending admitted student days requested a travel stipend? how do they determine your eligibility?

[Thelaw23]

Also, has anyone received the PID for the housing apps

I got an email with housing info/PID/signup code on March 9.

Time to e-mail the housing office.

You got accepted earlier than February 20 though, right? Maybe that's why it's taking some time for me.

[Leliana]

Also, has anyone received the PID for the housing apps

I got an email with housing info/PID/signup code on March 9.

Time to e-mail the housing office.

You got accepted earlier than February 20 though, right? Maybe that's why it's taking some time for me.

Yeah, I was accepted in January. I'd wait a little to see if it shows up eventually, the application isn't due until May 15 and submitting early doesn't give you any advantage.