Aid at need-AWARE universities - worth applying?

Student Lounge International Students
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<p>---firstly i'd like to clarify what i mean by defining what i mean by need-aware; schools that have only "a limited amount of financial aid for international students" and place applicants in a separate pool before making their decisions---</p>

<p>Allegedly its a lot harder for an international (asking for aid) to get into a university where they are need-aware for the internationals e.g. stanford, duke, brown, northwestern etc.</p>

<p>are there any internationals on this forum who got into one of the top need-aware universities while still asking for aid, and if so what were your credentials like?</p>

<p>would also like to hear from people who feel that their stats WERE high enough to get them into those schools had they NOT asked for aid</p>

<p>i ask these questions as while i am compiling my college list, i am finding it hard to guage whether its worth applying to these need-aware colleges if the competition is that tight. i.e. i dont know what that very competition is...</p>

<p>If school A admits only 20 int kids who ask for financial aid, are those 20 the ones who had the 2300+ sat scores out of the group of say 200 that asked for aid? In other words, how much harder is it to get in asking for aid?</p>

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<p>I would guess that need-blind colleges may be harder to get into in some cases because they get so many more applications. Example:</p>

<p>Harvard: 3433 international applicants (fall 2006), 471 international students on financial aid (undergraduate total)
Columbia, General Studies: 155 international applicants, 93 international students on financial aid</p>

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<p>I guess need-blind colleges are not totally need-blind esp. to int'l students.</p>

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<p>i wasnt referring to need-blind uni's but specifically those that are NOT need-blind for intl students, like stanford and northwestern</p>

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<p>It is significantly harder to get in asking for aid.</p>

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<p>Given the small number of need-blind colleges , : HYP,D, MIT, Midd, Amherst and Williams, and all the Ivies but Brown if you're Canadian, and their uber-selectivity, YOU HAVE TO apply to need-aware universities.. It's not even that much more competitive, since everybody and their dog are applying to the need-blind ones.</p>

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<p>"It's not even more competitive"
monia, could you please explain what you meant by that, please? :)
oh yes and i am canadian btw</p>

<ul>
<li>is there anyone here that did get into a need aware one with aid?</li>
</ul>

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<p>I just meant that getting in HYP, which are need-blind, would be more difficult than getting into a good, but not uber selective school.</p>

<p>But, of course, if you're not applying for aid, it's significantly easier to get in at the need-aware unis..</p>

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<p>I heard that Cornell is not very generous to intl. students. do you guys think it's true?</p>

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<p>^ It's true. They give out 8 full rides a year to intls.</p>

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<p>I'm sorry not 8 full rides, but 8 financial aid packages on the whole.</p>

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<p>In my opinion, any college you are seriously interested in is worth applying, regardless of their financial policy, as long as they give at least a full ride per year to international students. Before telling me I am crazy, let me explain.</p>

<p>First of all, I know or have heard of many international applicants who got a full ride to top colleges. I also know a few who got full ride to other great colleges that are not so highly ranked. Many are not listed as giving a lot of financial awards to international students, but people still got in. Check b@rium, for example.</p>

<p>Secondly, while there is a huge competition among needy international students at unis like Duke, Northwestern and Brown, there is not the same situation for every LAC. Some LACs are almost as competitive, like Swarthmore or Amherst, but others are not. Here is my advice: Try to find a 'low match' LAC you are honestly interested in. By 'low match' I mean an LAC that would really need a student like you. For example, if there are no students from your country, or very few students majoring in your intended major, or a school where the only cello player is graduating and you play cello, you get my point. If it is a less known school, where not many international students apply, even better. As long as there is at least one full ride available and they really, really want you, that full ride may be yours. But still, don't even think of applying unless you love the school, not the idea of a full ride.</p>

<p>Bear in mind that it is not enough to have those stats to get in. Sometimes LACs emphasize the essays even more than top universities. Try your best in those essays. Many LACs have a 'why' essay, and if you really are interested in them, this essay should come with no effort, and should really stand out.</p>

<p>But even for schools you don't think you are qualified for, the essay can make the difference. I heard of a student now attending Occidental College who received a Dean Scholarship. Normally, to qualify for this scholarship, students needed at least an 1400 at the old SAT. She had around 1200. Yet, her outstanding essay made them want her so badly, that they offered her this scholarship to attend.</p>

<p>To sum up, pick your colleges carefully and work on your essays as much as possible. If you do it, you have at least a decent chance at ANY college.</p>

<p>PS. I am myself an international student applying this year, but these are my conclusions after talking to a lot of admitted students.</p>

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<p>wow, cristina thats a very helpful post, Thank you!</p>

<p>im guessing from the lack of response from intl students who HAVE got financial aid from need-aware universities, they are indeed rare (or dont hang around CC once theyve been accepted haha)
anyway still hoping to hear from one of these fortunate people</p>

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<p>I know other internationals who got aid from need-aware colleges, but not at Stanford or Brown or Northwestern. But I also don't know anyone who got aid from Harvard or Princeton or Amherst or another need-blind college for that matter...</p>

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<p>I know people who got aid from all top colleges. I got aid at Penn myself (and more than I asked!). Yes it is harder to get aid from need aware schools as compared to the need blinds. But getting INTO need-blind universities is harder than need-aware colleges. So it kinda balances of.</p>

<p>It does help A LOT if you don't ask for aid as an international at one of those need-aware schools. But I suppose if you are worth their money they will give it to you. The key is to NEVER ask for a full ride. Say you can pay at least $10000 or something (take a loan if you don't) to have a shot at admissions!</p>

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<p>^ so in other words for an intl its just as hard to get into a top need-blind as it is to get into a good need-aware? what were your stats like?</p>

<p>so, the problem that leaves is that colleges which were once "matches" are much harder to get into now that asking for aid lowers chances of admittance</p>

<p>so i guess when looking for safties as an intl asking for aid you look for places where you are overqualified....by a LArge margin?</p>

<p>--b@r!um and moizuhk would you guys mind sharing the stats of the people who got into their respective need-aware colleges (to get an idea of the standards a need-seeking student like me needs to be at to stand a chance of admittance)?</p>

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<p>I still believe you have a better chance at less competitive need-aware schools than those need-blind schools. Just pick your list carefully.</p>

<p>I don't know how many internationals visit this forum after getting into college, so you should better look for them somewhere else. Try searching on facebook for example.</p>

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<p>you should definitely give it a shot, but also have need blind schools and LACs on your list apart from the need-aware universities. i have a friend who got near-to-full financial aid from uchicago, which is a need-aware univ.</p>

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<p>^ what were his stats like?</p>

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<p>tetrisfan, you said the following about Cornell: "I'm sorry not 8 full rides, but 8 financial aid packages on the whole." Where did you get this info from?</p>