<p>Would I have a higher chance of acceptance at Exeter/andover/Milton/Deer/Groton/St.P if I do not request financial aide? Thanks!</p>
<p>As far as I know, only Andover states explicitly that they are need blind. Please correct me if that is inaccurate.</p>
<p>@ OP: Yes. </p>
<p>If requesting it is an option, you probably don’t need to request it. And even if you did get an award, it wouldn’t likely be much of one…while diminishing your chances of acceptance. Even for Andover…because they may be need-blind (though I never understand how that’s possible where the financial aid office and personnel are conjoined with admissions) through the regular decision, but if it comes down to getting in off the wait-list, it’s better to be full-pay.</p>
<p>Thanks- a tough choice. Really do need fin aide but badly want to be admitted- am a legacy at Exeter, hoping that will help.</p>
<p>Here’s my parental advice: Apply and ask for FA. If you are a strong enough candidate (and being a legacy should help at least a little, right?), they will admit you. They will also evaluate your family’s ability to pay and offer some sort of FA.</p>
<p>I think that is a better move than getting in, and then not being able to go because you can’t make the numbers work without FA.</p>
<p>However they phrase it—need blind or not, they certainly are not wealth blind, and they are not “full pay” blind, and they need 60% or 65% of students to be full pay. Clearly, more than 35% of applicants are applying for aid. So therefore, you either have to assume that financial aid applicants are less qualified, or you have to assume the full pay kids are getting some favoritism. I vote for the later.</p>
<p>You certainly will have a better chance applying without financial aid. But as Dyer maker said, if you are on the fence—maybe you can afford it, maybe not, then that probably means you wouldn’t qualify for much aid anyway. It’s a difficult prospect—I personally wouldn’t qualify for much/any aid either, but also could never afford to cut a check for almost $50,000 for one child—there is a real gap at certain income levels, which is a shame.</p>
<p>if you really need fa then you should ask for it. from everything i’ve heard exeter is very close to need blind in their admissions decisions. this year 47% of exeter students are on fa and they still offer full fa to students from families with incomes less than $75k. being a legacy should help a little bit too.</p>
<p>Children who are full pay are definitely at an advantage over kids needing financial aid. Many kids with near perfect SSAT, great academic rec’s and grades are turned down or waitlisted. Many kids who are absolutely lesser in terms of academics and grades are admitted when they are full pay. I’m not indicating that the full pay kids are not also intelligent, but kids scoring in 80% for SSAT and having decent grades can be admitted over FA ones.</p>
<p>The other factor is the long term commitment to the school. Will you attending the school lead to other giving to the school? Will your grandfather be making a donation for the new student center? While it might not need to be a wing on a building, this is also a significant factor.</p>
<p>If you really want to go to a particular school, you need to do everything you can to make yourself the most attractive candidate possible.</p>
<p>
This happens with or without FA. Each school could fill up with perfect SSAT’s and all A’s. It’s not just about that. They are looking for students who “fit” and who will contribute to the well being of their school community.</p>
<p>That said, all things EQUAL, certainly full pay would get preference.</p>