<p>Or any other LAC's?</p>
<p>Not immediately. To do so would require a large endowment boost, or so Swat would argue.</p>
<p>Williams is need blind for internationals (I think)</p>
<p>Being truly "Need blind" is a technical term meaning that the board has authorized a financial aid budget without limit. Swarthmore cannot legally do that because of a large endowment gift decades ago that stipulates international finanical aid can only be "x" percent of the total aid expenditures.</p>
<p>As a practical matter, it doesn't make any difference. The percentage of international students receiving aid at Swarthmore is already slightly higher than than the percentage of domestic students receiving aid...and the average aid award for internationals is higher.</p>
<p>Swarthmore would have to go through a legal proceding in the courts to change the endowment restriction on international aid. It could be done. But, it wouldn't be worth the hassle unless they were planning to increase the international enrollment.</p>
<p>Williams went need-blind because they weren't attracting as much international enrollment as their competition. They spend more on international aid than either Amherst or Swarthmore, just to match Amherst and Swarthmore's international enrollment.</p>
<p>Note: To understand financial aid from a business standpoint, think of it as a price discount to attract more (or more desireable) customers. If you want to attract more internationals, you offer a price discount.</p>
<p>interesteddad, why would you think swat and amherst are more popular than williams?.. I am not being sarcastic I really want to know WHY.. any particular reasons?</p>
<p>Most LAC websites I visited clearly noted that the international aid is limited and the competition is "fierce" "severe" "highly competetive" and other strong adjectives. And my admission advisor also told me that if I applied for fin aid, that my chances would drop abysmally(with an exaggerated gesture). But opinions in CC seems to tell me that it's not such a hole of a needle. Which is truer?</p>
<p>^the fact is it does not matter at all.. if you need aid you'll have to apply for aid.. if you fear for this and that and don't apply.. you can't go to college.. so WE have no choice at all</p>
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The percentage of international students receiving aid at Swarthmore is already slightly higher than than the percentage of domestic students receiving aid
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<p>Isn't that because many internationals give up to apply because they think their stats aren't good enough to receive aid?</p>
<p>
[quote]
the fact is it does not matter at all.. if you need aid you'll have to apply for aid.. if you fear for this and that and don't apply.. you can't go to college.. so WE have no choice at all.
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<p>Yeah, but I have to consider in advance how many colleges to apply. If fin aid are very hard to receive I might not spend time applying to those colleges.</p>
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interesteddad, why would you think swat and amherst are more popular than williams?
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<p>a) Location.</p>
<p>b) Swarthmore (and presumably Amherst, but I'm not an Amherst expert) has been recruiting and enrolling international students for a long time. Swarthmore first hit 5% international in 1984. Williams didn't hit 5% until fifteen years later (1999 or 2000). It's a self-reinforcing effort. They longer a school has been paving the way for internationals the more they build relationships with the international feed schools like Raffles (Singapore), Mothers (India), etc. and the more these schools send applicants.</p>
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Isn't that because many internationals give up to apply because they think their stats aren't good enough to receive aid?
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<p>No. I'm talking the students receiving aid as a percentage of enrolled students at Swarthmore. It's about the same for both domestic and international students.</p>
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But opinions in CC seems to tell me that it's not such a hole of a needle.
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<p>It's the eye of the needle for international applicants at Swarthmore because it's the eye of the needle for ALL applicants at Swarthmore, not because of financial aid. </p>
<p>About half of all international students at Swarthmore receive financial aid -- 52.2% to be exact. The average financial aid package for those international students receiving aid was $38,560.</p>
<p>"Williams went need-blind because they weren't attracting as much international enrollment as their competition. They spend more on international aid than either Amherst or Swarthmore, just to match Amherst and Swarthmore's international enrollment."</p>
<p>jhl: There goes interesteddad, talking out of his derriere again. As a matter of fact, Williams now enrolls more internationals than Amherst and Swarthmore: almost 9% for the Class of 2011 (8.7%), compared to "eight percent" at both Amherst and Swarthmore.</p>
<p>You made my point for me. International enrollment was low at Williams for the entire period for which I have the data (back to 1978) until just the last few years when Williams made a big push to increase it. The gap widened throughout the 80's and 90's.</p>
<p>Williams is currently spending double (on a per capita basis) on international aid than Amherst or Swarthmore. As you point out, the international enrollment at the three schools is within a percentage point one way or the other.</p>
<p>I am kind international because my greencard is pending. Finacial aid wise, I submit the same forms as domestic students, except for the FAFSA. </p>
<p>Interesteddad, any idea on how this would affect my chances?</p>