Columbia’s School of General Studies, which houses the dual-degree program with Tel Aviv University, is made for people just like her: nontraditional students a few years removed from high school. Administrators rave about how those students enrich classroom dialogues and bring fresh perspectives to younger students. When Ratliff-D’addario was accepted, she was thrilled.
But the reality of her experience didn’t align with her dream. After she enrolled at 22 for her first year, she discovered that an error in the financial aid process deemed her ineligible for the grants she needed. She had to take out private loans to cover tuition. She eventually sold the house she owned in Washington state.
Her challenges are similar to those faced by many students at Columbia’s School of General Studies, an undergraduate school that has struggled for years to offer the same generous financial aid other Columbia students get. Though the school’s enrollment numbers have increased dramatically in the last decade, General Studies students, many of whom have children and juggle jobs, receive less help covering their costs than some of the students they sit with in class.
