<p>New to all this. Can anyone out there tell me, HONESTLY, is it easier to get into college if no financial aid/need is required?</p>
<p>I've heard so many vastly different theories that I would really just like to know the truth!</p>
<p>Thanks so much.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. I think at some of the wealthiest, most selective schools it really doesn't hurt to need financial aid, and probably doesn't help particularly to not need it.</p>
<p>Outside of that strata of schools, my guess is the degree to which financial need influences acceptance is in direct proportion to how attractive a candidate a student is. Conversely, if a student doesn't need FA, perhaps they don't have to have that singular whatever to clinch the deal.</p>
<p>Just my hunches, though.</p>
<p>Very few schools are need blind for all applicants, and those that are tend to have the largest endowments. Most schools are need aware/sensitive for at least some applicants. Some of them only consider need during admissions when an applicant is not an unequivocal admit. Others gap everyone, meaning they do not meet anyone's full need. Most are somewhere in the middle. In short, outside of a few highly ranked schools with large endowments, having no need will be an application asset.</p>
<p>It depends on the student, too. If a student is near the bottom of the applicant pool & doesn't provide a benefit to the school (ADA, URM, etc.), need may come into play. It probably is less of an issue for top candidates. But, as others have pointed out, it varies from school to school.</p>