<p>In common application forms, even the schools who claim to be "need blind" ask the question:</p>
<p>Do you intend to apply for need-based financial aid?</p>
<p>We have a border-line income + assets, i.e., we may be able afford my son's tuition, but we have 2 more kids coming, and we would rather save for them. Also, economic conditions may deteriorate, and we may nat be able to afford it in the future. </p>
<p>However, we are worried that checking "yes" would lower his chances of admission in many of the schools.</p>
<p>If we decide to bite the bullet the first year, is it possible to re-apply for financial aid later? Are ther steps to take, to make it easier?</p>
<p>It looks like your child is an international student. Some schools that are “need blind” for Americans are not “need blind” for int’ls.</p>
<p>Many schools specifically state that students who don’t apply for FA the first year CANNOT apply for FA the following years. That makes sense. They don’t want people just saving for the first year (to get admissions advantages) and then ask for aid for subsequent years.</p>
<p>You need to carefully evaluate whether paying for all of your child’s college costs (probably about $55k+ per year - including int’l travel costs) will mean that you won’t be able to afford your younger children’s college costs. (Also realize that the costs on a college website is for the current year. When your child enrolls next year, the costs will be higher, and will go up each year. )</p>
<p>Search the archives. Some believe the colleges that say they are totally need blind are. Others (including me) don’t. It’s just too hard to understand how they keep coming up with almost the same percentage on aid every year. This is also a tough money year for many schools.</p>
<p>I’d check each school of interest for policy on applying later. Many will not treat you differently than if you got aid as a freshmen, others will. </p>
<p>If your kids are all high stats and get into school that meet 100% of need, you’ll definitely get aid when the second one starts college if you’re borderline for one. </p>
<p>Bottom line, if I knew I probably wouldn’t get aid (and remember, at need blind schools the first chunk will be work study and loans unless no loan school) I would not apply.</p>
<p>Ibagoren, while I agree with everything posted, I would advise you to run the calculators. Check to see what your FAFSA Efc estimate is for FAFSA-only schools and what the calculators estimate under ‘institutional methodology’ for College Profile schools (probably a good 1/3 of your income!). Also, see if the schools offer merit aid and, if so, if they require a financial aid application to be eligible for merit. </p>
<p>One thing you should realize is that everyone is eligible for an unsub federal loan even if they don’t apply for school financial aid. You could always do that later but that’ll only be a few thousand dollars. </p>
<p>Honestly, if I were in your situation, I would weigh my child’s chances of admission along with the amount of financial aid I am likely to be waiving away-- and I would look to see if there are schools that might award my kid merit money. I would definitely keep him in the running for merit even if it meant that I had to send in a financial aid app. (Some private schools-- and he may have some safeties like this-- give a decent percentage of their students small scholarships, referred to as “tuition discounting.”)</p>
<p>*It is a hybrid: We are expats. So, for academics purposes, he is International. For Financial purposes, he is a Citizen. *</p>
<p>Wait…if your child is a citizen, why is he being considered an int’l for admissions purposes? Ex-pats who are citizens are supposed to be treated just like any other citizen, unless he’s applying to a state school and then he’s treated like an OOS citizen (again, not as an int’l). Who is treating your citizen child as an int’l???</p>
<p>*Some believe the colleges that say they are totally need blind are. Others (including me) don’t. It’s just too hard to understand how they keep coming up with almost the same percentage on aid every year. This is also a tough money year for many schools.
*</p>
<p>I agree. Certainly they can tell who “might” need a lot of aid based on zip code or high school. I think one reason why certain ivies admit a whole bunch of kids from certain publics over other publics might be because they know that that high school resides in a high income zip code.</p>
<p>And, Hmom is right, because of the economy, who knows what the FA policies will be in future years. Need blind schools may become need award. 100% need schools may start having gaps in their packages. Who knows.</p>
<p>Well, being treated as an International student academically is nothing to complain about. That means, when the admissions weigh your grades/scores/etc., they use their “international scale”. Sometimes, it can be an advantage.</p>
<p>I thought that you were saying that your child would be considered an international during the admission process - which can mean limited spots from the int’l pool of applicants.</p>