<p>Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone knew whether or not colleges
a) accept someone first and then calculate financial aid
b) determines financial aid for ALL applicants and then only those accepted will be notified about their financial aid
c) other</p>
<p>Please explain to me because I am VERY confused.
Happy Holidays~</p>
<p>Most schools do a, I doubt any do b but I suppose it’s possible, some do c.</p>
<p>The point is, all schools are not alike.</p>
<p>a is called need-blind; the alternative is need-aware.</p>
<p>In addition, some schools meet full need, but most don’t.</p>
<p>From what I’ve gathered, most schools do not do A. Few schools these days are actually “need blind” and those that are really only constitute some of the richest colleges. I believe schools generally do a sort of variation on B. Financial need is taken into account through basic perusal of financial aid profiles, but the colleges don’t actually determine your financial aid per say unless you are accepted.</p>
<p>Some schools calculate aid first: for certain LACs, and perhaps other colleges, about 95% of the admissions process is need-blind, but the remaining 5% of those offered admission will have received an edge over similarly-qualified candidates because they don’t require as much financial aid. Obviously, the college has to know what they would be offering that group of students before they admit them.</p>
<p>How about the ivy’s and schools like Duke or Vanderbilt? :)</p>
<p>Probably closer to A for those. What is the real question here, the real concern? Or is this just random curiosity and we can not bother to guess?</p>
<p>Here’s a case scenario that I have:
say a college rejects 50 people
defers 20 other people
and accepts 10 people
under early action/ early decision
would only the 10 accepted people be given their financial aid package?</p>
<p>If the college is need-aware*, then its decisions at the margin where need-awareness matters would have wait for a financial aid estimate for the applicant.</p>
<p>Otherwise, it does not really matter from the applicant’s point of view whether the financial aid office starts calculating financial aid in parallel with the admissions reading or if it waits for decisions to start calculating financial aid, as long as the admissions and financial aid decisions are delivered in a timely fashion.</p>
<p>If you want an estimate from the college before the official decision is made, use its net price calculator.</p>
<p>*In strict terms, as opposed to admissions preferences that may correlate to needy or non-needy applicants.</p>
<p>xo, only accepted applicants receive a financial aid package offer from the school, but anyone can get an aid estimate from the school’s on-line Net Price Calculator (this will not include additional merit money that some schools give to entice top applicants).</p>
<p>“Few schools these days are actually “need blind” and those that are really only constitute some of the richest colleges.”</p>
<p>Jazzed, I think you’re confusing “need blind” with “meet full need.” Most “poor” (e.g., state) schools are need blind, but many cannot meet full need. The “rich” schools can be both need blind and also meet full need.</p>