<p>if a college is need blind in admission process. does you grades/scores/how much they like/want you affect how much you get in financial aid? this is something I always wondered. thanks</p>
<p>They give merit scholarships to entice students to turn down a more ranked school to attend their school which is more likely lower ranked.</p>
<p>It depends on the school. Most colleges don’t meet need and may just give federal aid, state aid and merit just to the students they want.</p>
<p>There are top schools that meed full-need and do not give merit and many of these schools do not deviate too much by how much they want you. Some, however, may use preferential packaging for a top student-- not putting loans in your package, etc.</p>
<p>“Need blind” only means that they accept you without regard to your financial situation; it does not mean they meet need.</p>
<p>Some schools do what is called “preferential packaging” - which means that if you have great stats, they put together a better package.</p>
<p>However, some schools don’t have much aid to give, so it may not make a difference. Even students with good stats will get gapped.</p>
<p>But, at schools that “meet need” your stats shouldn’t matter.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, Schools that meet need can give preferential packaging and they tend not to advertise it.</p>
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<p>And/or other qualities that the school is looking for.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>True…if you’re from an unusual region of the country or you add to the school’s diversity numbers.</p>
<p>^^ or anything else the college really wants </p>
<p>I know of someone with outstanding academic credentials who was given preferential packaging at a top meets-full-need school. I wouldn’t be surprised if it is used for athletes too although I have no direct knowledge of that.</p>
<p>Colleges have a lot of flexibility in how they dispense their own funds, especially the private ones. But it depends on the college. Kelsmom works in fin aid, and her school if heavily formula driven so there is not a lot of flexibility or negotiation in that environment. But there are schools that can do a lot with their own funds.</p>
<p>I know of a number of schools that are need blind in admissions, but when the accepted students’ files are sent to financial aid for determination of awards, they are coded so that some are highly desirable students that will get the best packages and those who get what is left and may be gapped if the school does not guarantee to meet need or those kids may get loan heavy packages. This is not at all an unusual thing.</p>
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<p>I have friends who’s jr is a good athlete and they say that at the schools that don’t give athletic scholarships, recruited athletes are generally given preferential treatment for need based FA. Not positive this is true as I haven’t researched this myself, but these folks usually make an effort to find out the facts rather than relying on second hand rumors.</p>